Classical Civilizations

1. Classical Civilizations East and South Asia

2. Differences between Classical and Preceding Era • Shift in geographical location • Larger territories and political structures • Increasingly sophisticated religions and philosophies • Expansion of scientific knowledge • Absorption / integration of diverse populations • Integration caused the growth of empires, trade, and the creation of cultural systems to bind the different peoples together (state ideology)

3. Differences between Classical and Preceding Era Expansion resulted from and in population growth. Farmers migrated to new lands, trade centers grew in far-off colonies, and the military established settlements Each classical civilization was a separate entity though there was trade between them. What occurred within each civilization makes this period what it is, not the interaction between them

5. The Zhou Dynasty • The Qin Dynasty • The Han Dynasty

6. 1029 – 258 BCE • Geographical shift to Middle Kingdom • Weak feudal government – ruled through alliances and nobility • Legitimacy of rule through Mandate of Heaven • Emperors – Sons of Heaven

7. Unified population through use of language (Mandarin Chinese) • Technologically advanced • Compass • Kite • Mould board plow • Planting in rows versus broadcast

8. Era of the Warring States • Failure of Zhou feudalism • Last half of the Zhou Dynasty • Emperor – figurehead • Ultimate power gained by Qin

10. By tradition, society was believed to be comprised of five classes, ranked in order of their value to the state (ideal versus real) Scholars- knowledge was revered Farmers- they produced what was necessary for life Artisans- they produced what was useful but not necessary Merchants- they did not produce anything themselves Soldiers, beggars, thieves, and bandits- they destroyed or stole what was produced by others The lowest class contained the “mean” people, who had no skills, and slaves

11. Confucius, a poor member of the lesser aristocracy, wandered from state to state attempting to find a lord that would allow him to try out his ideas on reforming society. He failed in his mission He made his real contribution as a teacher. His conversations with his disciples were recorded in The Analects

12. Confucianism was profoundly influenced by the chaos wrought by the Era of the Warring States Confucianism stressed personal virtue, respect for the social hierarchy (the five relationships), duty, obedience, and ethics Confucianism became the predominate philosophy of China and areas it influenced

13. Daoism was a more spiritual philosophy that emphasized harmony and the mystery of nature Established around the same time as Confucianism, it ensured China would not be unified by religion Daoism was allowed to flourish for it posed no threat to the state. Formal rituals made the religion appealing Daoism argued against political participation

14. A third philosophy sprang up around the time of Confucianism and Daoism- Legalism Legalists believed man was evil by nature and had to be restrained by force and constantly disciplined Legalism was used by Chinese rulers to justify harsh treatment of the people It was not a popular philosophy but did influence Chinese development

15. Dynasty established and ruled by Qin shi Huangdi (first true emperor) • Attempted expansion through conquest • Adopted Legalism as state ideology – persecuted intellectuals • Began construction of the Great Wall

16. Adopted national census to determine taxes and labor service • Standardized weights, measures, and coins • Adopted a single uniform writing system • Promoted the manufacture of silk Qin “knife” money

17. 201 BCE to 220 CE • Retained Qin centralized government • Expanded and solidified role of bureaucracy • Established civil service exam • Based civil service on ideals of Confucianism • Began development of scholar-gentry class

18. Expanded trade on Silk Road – trade contacts with India and Rome • Expanded into Korea, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia • Great peace and prosperity under rule of Wu Ti

19. Dynasty based on small independent farmer – changed over time to domination by large landowners • Constant threats by northern tribes • Increasing burdens on poor caused revolts • Cost of maintaining border security • Increased government corruption

21. Vedic and Epic Ages • Migration of Aryans • Geographical shift to Ganges River • Emergence of the Caste System dominated by the Aryans • Syncretization of native Dravidian and Aryan religions creates Hinduism

22. Aryans shift to the Ganges River

23. The Vedas were a collection of hymns about the gods, written by various priests Most of Indian history from the Vedic period comes through oral history that was passed down and later written in Sanskrit The name Veda comes from the Sanskrit meaning “knowledge.” Shiva

24. Later, during the Epic Age, great poems were written that glorified Indian heroes. The Ramayana and Mahabharata are the most famous of these These epics eventually took on a religious significance and became the “bible for lower castes The Upanishads took epic poetry to even more mystical and religious heights Krishna

25. Originally based on varna • Later based on occupation • Caste is hereditary • Inter-marriage forbidden • Thousands of sub-castes (Jati) • Movement in system by group only • Most content – system offers security

26. The caste system finally became a rigid social hierarchy. Level 1: The Brahmins (priests) Level 2: The Kshatriyas (warriors/nobles) Level 3: The Vaisyas (traders and farmers) Level 4: The Sudras (common laborers) Outcastes: This group evolved to include those that worked at “unclean” occupations and are not officially part of the caste system. They are also known as the Untouchables, Dasa, and Dalits

27. The Aryans brought with them to India a wide range of gods and goddesses. Eventually, their religion mixed with that of the native population to produce Hinduism In fact, Hinduism was very flexible and changed as the situation warranted Hinduism was also tolerant of other religions and several religions sprang from it including Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism

28. Major Hindu principles include Brahma- the universal force or essence of which everything is a part Atman – the individual soul Reincarnation- based on your deeds in life you would be reborn at a higher or lower level until you reached union with Brahma Yoga - “union” of mind and spirit through meditation Dharma- divine law that required different actions by different people Karma- the force of a person’s actions that determined their rebirth in the next life

29. Tensions within Hinduism sometimes resulted in rebellions After the Epic Age, around 563 BC, an Indian prince, Siddhartha Gautama, broke off from Hinduism Called Buddha (the enlightened one), Gautama traveled and spread his ideas

30. Basic principles of Buddhism: Buddha emphasized the supreme divinity over the many lesser gods The ultimate goal was the destruction of self and union with the divine essence called Nirvana Great stress was placed on self-control He believed anyone could reach a holy life despite caste

31. Chandraguptaseized control of India along the Ganges in 322 BC (Alexander the Great) Established the Mauryan Dynasty Chandragupta relied on the military to remain in power much like leaders in Mesopotamia His grandson, Ashoka, became the greatest ruler in Indian history (269- 232 BC)

32. The Mauryan Dynasty at its height

33. Ashoka’s accomplishments He expanded control over most of India Converted to Buddhism (emphasis on Dharma- the law of moral consequences) While honoring Hinduism, Ashoka facilitated the spread of Buddhism throughout his realm He worked for the welfare of his people and built roads with wells and rest stops

34. After Ashoka’s death, the Mauryan dynasty declined and finally fell to nomadic invaders called the Kushan (from Turkestan) The Kushan continued trade links with other civilizations including the Roman Empire The collapse of the Kushans around 220 AD initiated a period of chaos that lasted until 320 AD and the establishment of the Kingdom of the Guptas

35. Although no great rulers such as Ashoka emerged, the Kingdom of the Guptas did have an impact The Guptas used negotiations and intermarriage to expand influence instead of war and their period was one of peace and prosperity The Guptas did not establish a large bureaucracy, preferring to rule through local elites This loose governmental structure did not promote cultural unity- no single language emerged

36. The Guptas did establish a uniform code of law but the government structure was not elaborate and relied more on regionalism The caste system helped in this for it maintained public order without the need for government Trade with Rome drained Rome of specie causing the Roman emperor to ban the wearing of silk Small colonies of Romans, Jews, Arabs, and Christians were established in India Unlike the other classical civilizations, the Guptas fell mainly due to invasion of the White Huns

37. Indians astronomers identified seven planets, calculated the daily rotation of the earth on its axis, developed a theory of gravity, and calculated the length of the solar year They invented inoculation against smallpox They made advances in surgery and bone setting The Indian number system is the one we use today. They invented the concept of zero and the decimal system

38. Indians developed the concept of negative numbers, calculated square roots and a table of sines, and computed the value of pi to a greater degree of accuracy than the Greeks Indian steel was better than any produced elsewhere The Indians were the first to produce cotton cloth, calico, and cashmere

39. The Indians were lively traders and traveled extensively throughout South and Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean The Indians did not seek to dominate politically but their influence was felt in all facets of life Buddhism and Hinduism spread to many areas as did Indian art and architecture Angkor Wat - Cambodia

40. Quiz

41. How did Chinese emperors legitimize their rule? • How did the Zhou unify their peoples? • What type of government did the Zhou have? • What was the Era of the Warring States? • What philosophy stressed a hierarchy of relationships? • What was the lowest class in the Chinese social system?

42. 7. What Chinese philosophy argued that man was evil by nature? 8. What dynasty succeeded the Zhou? 9. Who was its ruler? 10. How did he address the issue of China’s perennially weak northern borders? 11. What was his state’s philosophy? 12. How did his government differ from that of the Zhou?

43. 13. How did Han China increase the efficieny of its bureaucracy? 14. What philosophy was used a basis for the bureaucracy? 15. What social class emerged out of the Han bureaucracy? 16. What trade route greatly increased China’s importance in long-distance trade? 17. During what two ages did the Aryan and Dravidian cultures blend to create Hinduism and the Caste System?

44. 18. The Caste System was initially based on… 19. List the castes in their proper order from highest to lowest 20. During the classical period, Indian civilization shifted from the Indus to the… 21. Who founded Buddhism? 22. List two beliefs Buddhism and Hinduism have in common 23. Of the three classical Indian civilizations, which had the most centralized government?

45. 24. Who was India’s greatest ruler? 25. In what Indian civilization did Buddhism reach its zenith? 26. Describe the government of the Guptas 27. What caused the fall of the Guptas? 28. What was most responsible for the spread of Indian culture throughout Southeast Asia?

46. 29. One difference between classical civilizations and river-valley civilizations was that in classical civilizations • Most people farmed the land • Political organizations were more elaborate • Trade was introduced • Writing was developed • Religious beliefs were widely held

47. 30. Confucian and Hindu values both • Focused attention on the afterlife • Helped justify and preserve social inequality • Urged the importance of political activity • Tried to outlaw war • Resulted in the building of magnificent temples