H INDUISM, B UDDHISM, P ERSIA, AND C HINESE P HILOSIPHY R EVIEW By Noah Craig and Trevor Smith

N AVIGATION (Click the maps!) I NDIA P ERSIA C HINA END SLIDESHOW

I NDIA H INDUISM, B UDDHISM, G UPTA, AND A SOKA

H INDUISM  Hinduism originated in India. It was not created by one person, but slowly over time by many people.  Each person has an individual soul, called an atman.  The ultimate goal is to achieve moksha, or enlightenment.  They believe in reincarnation, or being reborn repeatedly.  There is a strong caste system. You move up or down it based on good and bad deeds in your past life. This is called karma.  The lowest tier of the caste system is the untouchables, the highest is the brahmins.  Sacred books: Vedas and Upanishads  Important gods:  Brahma (the creator)  Vishnu (the protector)  Shiva (the destroyer)

G UPTA E MPIRE & A SOKA  Gupta Empire  During the Gupta Empire, India entered a highly productive period in literature, art, science, and math.  Kalidasa is one of India’s greatest writers  Drama was also very popular  Modern numerals, zero, and the decimal system were invented. Aryabhata calculated pi to four decimal places.  Medical guides created.  Asoka  Asoka was originally a cruel and ruthless leader.  He believed in Hinduism.  After a terrible battle, he realized how cruel war was and became a better person  He changed to believe in Buddhism. Asoka’s Chakra >

B UDDHISM  Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama.  He left on a search to end suffering and find religious truth.  After 49 days of meditating, he found the truth and became the Buddha  The four noble truths:  Everything in life is suffering and sorrow  The cause of suffering is desire  The way to end suffering is to end desire  Follow the eightfold path  The final goal of Buddhism is to reach enlightenment, called nirvana.  It spread throughout Asia after Buddha’s death through missionaries and traders  Sacred books: Jatakas.

R ETURN TO N AVIGATION

P ERSIA K INGS, R OADS, AND B ERAUCRACY

C YRUS AND C AMBYSES  Cyrus the Great was considered a military and political genius  He expanded the Persian Empire from Anatolia to the Indus river in only 12 years.  He practiced tolerance over the people he conquered  He would pray at the statues of the gods of cities he conquered  Allowed subjects to continue as they were before as long as they recognized Cyrus as their leader  Cambyses was Cyrus’s son; he took over after Cyrus died.  Conquered Egypt  Did not practice religious tolerance

D ARIUS I AND X ERXES  Darius came to power after Cambyses  Not related to previous leaders  Used the Ten Thousand Immortals to help  Built the Royal Road and created Imperial Bureaucracy (next page)  Xerxes fights against Greece in the Persian Wars.

R OYAL R OAD AND I MPERIAL B EREAUCRACY  The Royal Road streched over much of Persia  It aided in travel and trade  Ran over 1600 miles  Connected the Empire  Imperial Bureaucracy is splitting the Persian Empire into 20 sections  Each section had a governor called a Satrap.

R ETURN TO N AVIGATION

C HINA P HILOSIPHIES, D YNASTIES, AND THE G REAT W ALL

C ONFUCIANISM  Founded by Confucius  People are naturally good  Followed a code of ethics  Believed in harmony and proper government  Rules should obey their laws to set a good example  The best rulers are Virtuous  Writings: Analects  5 key relationships:  Father to son  Elder brother to younger brother  Husband to wife  Ruler to subject  Friend to friend

L EGALISM  Founded by Hanfeizi and Li Si  People are naturally evil  Emphasis on law and order  The ruler has authority and has to use it  Strict laws and harsh punishments  No writings  Burned books

D AOISM/ T AOISM  Founded by Laozi  Seek harmony with nature  Belief in the yin(g) yang – natural rhythm of life  Government should not play a role  Writings: Dao de Ching

Q IN S HI H UANGDI  Qin dynasty  Practiced legalism  Set uniform standards for many things  Forced peasants to work against their will  Built a highway network  Started the Great Wall

H AN D YNASTY  Liu Bang:  Took over after Shi Hunagdi  Centralized government  Lowered taxes  Softened punishments  Wudi  Created a civil service code  Gave government jobs to people who were good at it – not friends  Gave jobs to people

G REAT W ALL AND S ILK R OAD  The Great Wall was started by Qin Shi Huangdi  Created to protect against attacks from the north  Stretched from the Yellow Sea to the Gobi Desert  Trade Routes from China to Africa and Europe  All kinds of goods traded (not just silk)  Spread goods, culture, religion, and ideas

R ETURN TO N AVIGATION