1. Geography, Culture, and Early History
Unit One of Asia
Geography, Culture, and Early History

2. Japan - Effects of Climate
Climatic conditions have a major effect on population distribution, agriculture, and industrial development in Asia.
Climate conditions in Japan, for instance, vary widely geographically. In northern Japan, Sapporo has warm summers, but the winters are long, very cold, and have plenty of snowfall.
The central and western portions of Honshu have mild winters without much or any snow.
There, summers are hot and humid.
Many of Japan’s largest cities – Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, for example, are located in this area.
Where weather is milder, the population is usually larger.

3. Topography Japan is a rugged, mountainous group of islands.
Mt. Fuji reaches 12,500 feet into the sky
The distance from coast to coast is less than 200 miles anywhere in the islands
Almost 80 percent of the land surface is mountainous
20 percent of the land is arable (good for farming)
Japan has many short and swift rivers
Because most of the rivers are navigable (able to be sailed on) for only a few miles, the streams have little importance for transportation
However, throughout Japan’s history the rivers have provided water for irrigating the rice fields and hydroelectric power.

4. There are about 3,400 islands in Japan
Japan is called the “Land of the Rising Sun.”
Japan is a part of the “Ring of Fire” which is a great chain of volcanoes lying along the west coast of the Americas and then curving down the eastern shores of Asia
There are about 3,400 islands in Japan
The main ones are called Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku

5. INDIA
India’s climate ranges from alpine to temperate, and even to subtropical monsoon.
An alpine climate is very cold and exists in the high mountains such as the Himalayas.
Plants can grow there, but they are limited.
Few people live in alpine climates.
A temperate climate is much milder.
It is easier to grow crops and to sustain populations in temperate climates.
A monsoon is a pattern of seasonal winds that return every year.
The people of South Asia depend on such winds for their crops.
Hot, dry winds blow from the northeast of India from December to March.
Then, from June to September, monsoons blow from the southwest, brining 80% of South Asia’s yearly rains.
Since so much of the population is depended on agriculture, these summer monsoons are essential to a good growing season.
7th in size, 2nd in pop.
since it covers a vast area it is called a subcontinent

6. China China has a varied climate also.
It ranges from a subarctic climate in the north, to a tropical climate in the south.
Most of China’s population is concentrated in the east and southeast, where the climate is milder.
China, like most regions, has been influenced by geography.
Probably the most important of these geographic facts has been isolation (separation).
Chinese civilization began and grew in east Asia which was far from other centers of civilization.
High mountains (Himalayan) and wide deserts (Gobi) isolated this area from other parts of Asia.
These natural and protective barriers allowed the Chinese to develop their culture without constant interruption from the outside.

7. China also enjoyed conditions favorable for the development of a great culture as they had wide plains, fertile soil, great rivers, and coastal harbors.
Geography explains why Chinese civilization turned out to be unique (one of a kind)
It developed with only minor contacts with other major cultures, and therefore, only minor instances of cultural diffusion occurred.
Where cultural diffusion occurred, Chinese culture was diffused into Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.
China is the third largest country on earth and has the highest population.
It is in the coastal plain, river valleys, and hills of the eastern one-third of China, known as China proper, that most of China’s population is located.

8. Rivers
Chinese civilization began on the banks of one of its major rivers; the Yellow river (Huang He)
It was develop there because of the rich soil called loess.
The other river that Chinese civilization developed around was the Chang (Yangtze)
While the rivers serve as a source of life, it also brings death and destruction.
The rivers often overflow their banks, flooding large areas of the surrounding countryside.
Because of these floods, the Chinese people call the Yellow river “China’s sorrow.”

9. Overall Effects of Geography
In general, geography affects where people live, what they do there, and how they move around.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain offers an example to demonstrate this.

10. This large plain area lies between the Himalayan mountain ranges and the Deccan Plateau, within India.
Much of this area benefits from the three large rivers of South Asia: the Ganges, the Indus, and the Brahmaputra.
These rivers have their sources in the Himalayas.
These rivers and their many tributaries carry silt from the mountains that fertilizes farmlands on the plains.
These rivers also provide a reliable source of irrigation.
As a result of its steady sources of water, its fertile soil, and its long growing season, the Indo- Gangetic Plain is densely populated.
Throughout this region, farmers raise rice, wheat, and jute.

11. Transportation in the Indo-Gangetic Plain is easier than in mountain areas.
The land is relatively level, so it’s possible to build and maintain roads.
The rivers among the plains can be used for transportation, too.
In mountainous areas, travel is much more difficult. Mountain passes are important in these areas because they allow people to travel through or over mountains.
The Khyber Pass has been used for centuries, and has been the way that invading armies took over South Asia from the northwest.
Presently, the Khyber Pass connects Afghanistan to Pakistan.
India has a high population density.
It has 898 people per square mile compared to for China and 79 for the US.

12. Indian Language
Hindi is major native language, English major business language, recognized language, but over 200 other languages
Sanskrit is the ancient, holy language; 3,000 years old, used by upper & educated class
different language has divided India into many small states
following words come from Indian language: bungalow, khaki, loot, pajamas, punch, thug

13. The Peoples of China China is made up of many different peoples.
About 94% of the people are know as Han Chinese
The other 6% of China is made up of 55 different groups.
Most of the minorities live in the sparsely populated western China.
The minority peoples differ from the Han Chinese in language, religion, race, custom, and history.
Relations between the Han and the minorities has often been tense as the Han have usually looked down on the minorities.
When the Communist took over in 1949, the minorities were given more rights and more autonomy over their land.
Some minorities (like Tibet) want independence, but China will probably never loosen its control over the regions because they have most of China’s natural resources.

14. Korea Korea is called “The Land of the Morning Calm”
It is a peninsula nation that extends off the east coast of Asia between China and Japan
To its east is the Sea of Japan and to its south and west is the East China sea and the Yellow Sea
The Korean Peninsula is one of the most mountainous areas in the world
Only one-fifth of the land is suitable for farming.
The peninsula is divided into two countries, North and South Korea

15. Korea’s People
S. Korea is a densely populated country with around 1,120 people per square mile.
Because of its location near China and Japan, invading armies swept through Korea many times.
The invaders settled down and intermarried with the local people.
Like Japan, Korea is homogeneous (one type) with 99.9 % of its people Korean
The Korean people were united into one cultural group hundreds of years ago.

16. Southeast Asia Geography
countries include Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Indonesia
500 million people
has neither cultural or political unity
there are many races, religions and customs

17. it is an area of islands and peninsulas
Indo-Chinese Peninsula, Malay Peninsula, islands of Indonesia and Philippians
archipelagoes (a group of islands)
mountain ranges and seas help to divide SE Asia into many isolated parts
along some of the seacoasts are lowlands that are densely populated
many of the river plains between the mountains ranges also have dense population
The Great Lake
Tonle Sap in Cambodia is the only major lake

18. Seasons, Monsoons, and Rainfall
amount of rainfall changes from season to season due to monsoon
summer is rain season
people of SE Asia depend on the monsoon to live
without it the rice paddies are not flooded
when rains are late or early, crops fail and many face starvation

19. Peoples, Languages, and Population Distribution
many types of ancestors have come to the area so people here speak many languages, have different religions, and follow different ways of life
even today, many different peoples are moving to the area
because of mixed marriages and mixed backgrounds there is no way to describe the typical SE Asian

20. Languages
many languages are spoken, some countries have many different languages
many European languages are spoken due to colonialism
English is spoken in every country especially cities and is common in the countries of Philippians, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar
French is spoken in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos
Dutch in Indonesia
some Spanish in Philippians
Chinese communities all over SE Asia

21. Population Distribution
more people live in SE Asia than in the US
population is growing due to health care, food, sanitation
fewer babies become sick and adults live longer
20 times more people here than in 1800
all larger cities are seaports due to trade
most people live in small villages and farm

22. Village Life most people live in village which is the center of life
they try to live self-sufficient
typical village has 50 small houses built on stilts to protect it from the floods
house made of bamboo and wood; roofs are steep with palm leaves
around the house is a garden, fruit trees, coconut palms
rice is main crop grown in paddies, sewn by hand, picked by hand
well is the place for gossip
tool shed is for everyone

23. wat is the village temple
under the house is where the family water buffalo lives
family hangs out at the covered porch since it is cool
sleep on mats; no electricity, no running water, bathe at river
lamps are lit with kerosene or coconut oil lamps
stove made of clay
major food is broiled meat served on thin bamboo skewers (satay)
END SECTION 1

24. Hinduism & Buddhism Hinduism and Buddhism both started in India.
As followers of each religion moved elsewhere, the religions spread throughout the world.

25. Hinduism
Around 1500 BC, Aryan people migrated to the Indus Valley, where Pakistan is today.
By 1200 BC, the earliest sacred books of Hinduism appeared. They are called the Vedas and include the story of the Aryans.
By the 4th century BC, Hinduism had spread throughout all of India.
As it spread, Vedic Hinduism mixed with local religious practices.

26. During the 6th century BC, groups of people had
During the 6th century BC, groups of people had different ideas from the traditional Vedic thinkers.
These groups included Janis and Buddhists, two sects of Hinduism.
A sect is a smaller group of people that have differing beliefs from the larger group.
Another group of people, called Upanishad thinkers, had different ideas from the traditional Vedic thinkers.
The Upanishads are the books of the Upanishdic thinkers.
Almost all of the Upanishads are dialogues between a teacher and student.
They question the nature of both the individual soul, called atman, and the collective soul, called Brahman.

27. During King Asoka’s rule in the 3rd. century BC, Buddhism gained
During King Asoka’s rule in the 3rd century BC, Buddhism gained more followers in India.
The number of Hindu followers lessened.
From roughly 320 to 550 AD, Hinduism became popular once again.
As the popularity of Hinduism increased, it also absorbed beliefs and practices of both Buddhism and Jainism.
Beginning as early as the 7th century AD, Islam became established in India.
It later spread throughout much of the country, and is the second most practiced religion in India today.

28. Yet another group would come into India during the 18th century.
The British, who colonized India, also had an effect on Indian history which is still present today.
They allowed Christian missionaries to go into India to convert people.
They also used English as the language of instruction.
Furthermore, Hindu texts were translated into English and other European languages.

29. As Indian merchants moved to SE Asia, the Hindu religion spread to new areas. Local chiefs converted to Hinduism and the religion took hold in their region.
In the late 1800s, many Hindus left India and went to places like East Africa, islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and islands of the Caribbean.
Again, as they traveled, their religious ideas moved with them.
Hinduism has a long history, and it has spread to various parts of the world.
It is still the major religion of India.
Roughly 80% of the Indian population practices Hinduism.

30. Main Ideas
believe in reincarnation - "to be made flesh again", is a doctrine that some essential part of a living being survives death to be reborn in a new body.
Karma - Through the law of karma, the effects of all deeds actively create past, present, and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to him/her and others.
if a person does what he or she is suppose to do, his or her soul will be rewarded in the next life
dharma is a set of rules that must be followed by all living things of they wish to work their way up the reincarnation ladder

31. The Caste System began 3,000 years ago
when Aryans took over India they thought of themselves a superior and the conquered Indians as subordinate so started the class system
untouchable (AKA dalits) is the lowest class that deals with sweeping the streets, handling dead people and animals, and tending to pigs that feed on the village garbage; they must live away from the others and are not permitted to use the village wells
it divides the population into hereditary (passed from one generation to the next) social groups

32. 1) Brahmin (priest), 2) Kshatriya (soldiers), 3) Vaisya
1) Brahmin (priest), 2) Kshatriya (soldiers), 3) Vaisya (merchants & farmers), 4) Sudras (laborers), 5) untouchable
you belong to same caste all your life; jobs are passed down from father to son
according to the rule of karma, if one is an untouchable, one has no one to blame but one’s self so instead of complaining, that person had better do a good job to move up the ladder
moksha is the final resting place

33. Literature Vedas Upanishads The Mahabharata
collection of hymns, sacred prayers, chants, and epic poems about heroic deeds.
are a large body of texts originating in Ancient India& they form the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism
Upanishads
a collection of rituals and ceremonies written about 2,500 years ago
The Upanishads speak of a universal spirit (Brahman) and an individual soul, (Atman) and at times assert the identity of both. Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent, the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or shall be.
The Mahabharata
longest poem in the world with about 200,000 lines (5,000 pages)
It’s a discussion of human goals, attempting to explain the relationship of the individual to society and the world and the workings of karma.
The Ramayana
Indian soap opera written in 400 BC
It depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king.

34. Buddhism
During Buddhism’s first one hundred years, its ideas spread throughout northern India.
A king named Asoka promoted Buddhism, so during his rule, around 268 to 232 BC, Buddhism spread throughout his empire.
It is believed that he even sent a group of people to Sri Lanka where Buddhism was established.
Asoka was very tolerant of people’s rights to follow the religion of their choosing, so he did not force Buddhism on others.

35. After Asoka’s death, Buddhism faced struggles and Buddhists were sometimes persecuted.
By the 4th century AD, however, Buddhism had become one of the most common religions in India.
Buddhism had a strong following in northwestern India.
During the beginning of the Common Era (AD), it was easy for Buddhism to spread, as followers traveled the common trade routes of the time such as the Silk Road.
The Silk Road connected Asia to Europe.

36. The Spread of Buddhism
After Xuanzang’s Buddhist studies in India, he brought more than 600 copies of sutras back to China with him.
A sutra is a Buddhist text.
Once Buddhism took hold in China it then spread to the Korean peninsula during 4th to th centuries.
From Korea, Buddhism moved to Japan.

37. From the 8th to the 12 centuries AD, Buddhism flourished once again in northeastern India under the Pala kings.
It was under then that Buddhism took a deeper hold in Tibet and SE Asia as well.
As a result of trade that occurred via Sri Lanka, Buddhism reached SE Asia, especially the countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, present-day Cambodia, and southern Vietnam.
Buddhist ideas reached northern Vietnam mostly from China.
Since Buddhism spread over a wide area during many centuries, it is practiced differently in many parts of the world.
Buddhism, like many other religions, continues to have many sects, with the two major ones being Mahayana and Theravada.

38. Jainism do not have Gods and do not pray
do not believe in violence “ahimsa”
don’t fight back and don’t farm since it is killing plants or animals
it was not that big of a religion
Jainism is one of the oldest religions that originated in India.
Jains believe that every soul is divine and has the potential to achieve God-consciousness.
Any soul which has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called jina (Conqueror or Victor).
Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy in India.

39. Sikhism
they were a religion founded by Guru Nanak ( ) as a mix of Islam (monotheism) and Hinduism (reincarnation)
after Nanak died, his work was carried out by gurus (teachers)
the Golden Temple is their main shrine; they are militaristic and men never cut their hair or beard
There is only One God.
He is the same God for all people of all religions.
The soul goes through cycles of births and deaths before it reaches the human form.
The goal of our life is to lead an exemplary existence so that one may merge with God.
Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc.
Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God.

40. The Golden Temple of Amritsar

41. Chinese Philosophy & Religions
The philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism originated between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC during a period of civil war and great unrest.
Confucianism and Daoism are considered philosophies and not religions because they were not concerned with God or life after death.
They were mainly concerned with ways of improving society and achieving a better life on earth.

42. Confucianism Confucius was born in 551 BC and died in 479 BC.
The philosophy that is known as Confucianism come mainly from the speeches and writings of Confucius.
Confucianism is an ethical system rather than a religion (Ethics deals with human behavior and conduct)
Confucius was mainly concerned with how human begins behaved toward each other and paid little attention to such matters as sin, salvation, and the soul.
He developed a system of government, society, and justice which we call Confucianism.
Confucius was revered as a sage or wise person.
His sayings are collected in a book called the Analects.

43. The Five Basic Relationships
According to Confucius, each person had a specific place in society and certain duties to fulfill.
Confucius hoped that if people knew what was expected of them they would behave correctly.
The relationships are 1)ruler and subjects; 2) father and son; 3) elder brother and younger brother; 4) husband and wife; 5) friend and friend.
All except the last involved the authority of one person over another.
The power and the right to rule belong to superiors over subordinates; that is, to older people over younger people, to men over women.
Each person has to give obedience and respect to “superiors”.

44. The Family and the State
Family life was seen as a training ground for life in society.
It is at home in the family that the child learns to deal with problems that he or she will face later in the world.
The family is responsible for educating the child to be a good member of society.
Confucius emphasized the importance of education, the aim of which is to turn people into good family members, responsible members of society, and good subjects of the emperor.
Confucius believed that for society to be well ordered and for people to live in peace and prosper, it was necessary to have a good government and a virtuous ruler.

45. It was the duty of the ruler and his officials to set a good example for the people.
The Chinese believed that a dynasty ruled as long as it held the “Mandate of Heaven”, that is, the right to rule.
If the people of China suffered, they were sure that Heaven had taken away its protection of the Emperor, so they rebelled.
When the rebellion was successful, the Mandate of Heaven was given to the leader of the rebellion so he became the emperor of a new dynasty.

46. F. Daoism (The Way)
The philosophy of Daoism (AKA Taoism)stated that people should live naturally.
Society does not allow people to live naturally as society forces humans to live according to rules which are not natural.
This results in suffering and problems.
To escape from this unhappiness, people must free themselves from all the rules that are forced upon them by society; they must find the Dao, or “Way” of the universe.
The Taoist believed that society corrupted people and separated them from their true nature.

47. Shintoism Shintoism as a religion developed only in Japan
Shinto means “the way of the gods”
Shintoism is based on the worship of nature and good spirits called kami.
This religion has no bible or no formal prayer book
It is based on the feelings of human beings toward the world around them

48. The kami live in shrines, animals, birds, plants, mountains, waterfalls, storms, and in most natural things.
Shinto has three important symbols: a sword which represents the virtue of wisdom and correct action; a string of jewels which represents kindness, generosity, and obedience; and a mirror which stands for truthfulness and reflects all things good and bad.
The Japanese believe that without these three basic virtues - wisdom, kindness, and truthfulness - peace, happiness, and a good life cannot exist for individuals or for the nation.

49. SE Asia Religion Diversity of Religions
animism - worship of nature; first religion
Buddhism came from India (Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos)
Hinduism came from India; was big but has died out; only in Bali
Islam, 600 years ago (Malaysia, Burundi, Indonesia, S. Philippians)
Indonesia has the largest Muslim pop in the world
Christianity in Philapeans from Spain

50. Teachings of Buddhism began in India by Siddhartha Gautama born 567 BC
was a prince who did not life the difference of rich-poor
he left the palace for 6 years to wander the earth but did not find wisdom
so he sat under a tree for 49 days until he became enlightened
it is more a way of life than a religion, has no gods, no belief in a soul or a main god

51. 4 noble truths 1. existence is suffering, 2. suffering comes from
4 noble truths 1. existence is suffering, 2. suffering comes from desire, 3. cure for suffering is extinction of desire, 4.for no desire must have right views, effort, mindfulness, intentions, speech, conduct, livelihood, concentration
5 moral rules; 1. don’t kill any living being, 2. don’t take what is not given to, 3. Don’t speak falsely, 4. don’t drink alcohol, 5. not impure
key ideas; 1. self-salvation is a person’s most immediate responsibility, 2. nirvana is the goal of all Buddhist. Nirvana is a state of extinction or release from the Wheel of Rebirth (reincarnation),
worship at a Pagoda

52. Zen Buddhism
The main idea of Zen is to find self-understanding, called satori or enlightenment
believers in Zen feel that prayer and religious worship are a waste of time
Personal character and discipline are important
Meditation (thinking) is the main form of worship
The goal of Zen is to bring the person to satori - to help people go from thinking to knowing.
END SECTION 2

53. A. The Importance of Family in Asia
The Asian Family
A. The Importance of Family in Asia
The Asian people have always considered the family to be the most important part of society.
The individual thought of himself as a member of the family.
If the individual was successful, the prestige of the family was increased but if the individual was a failure, that brought shame on the whole family.

54. B. Marriage Arranging marriages was the responsibility of the parents.
The bride and groom had little to say about the choice of their mate or marriage arrangement.
Of great importance in choosing a mate was the social and financial position of the family.
On of the most important questions to be settled was the size of the dowry to be paid by the family of the groom to the family of the bride.
In most cases the bride had not seen her husband before.
The most difficult adjustment was to her mother-in-law as the mother-in-law was responsible for training and discipline her daughter-in-law.
The husband and wife were not suppose to show affection in public.

55. C. The Chinese Family Today
In China today, people are taught to think in terms of loyalty to the state first and the family second.
Young people in China are no longer dominated by their elders as they were in the past.

56. A. Women in Traditional Asia
Women were never considered equal to men.
When there was famine, girls were often sold by their parents who regarded them as just another mouth to feed.
These girls were usually used as slaves by the people who bought them.
Also during times of famine, people would sometimes kill their newborn baby girls.
Girls sometimes as young as six were often betrothed (promised marriage).
If the girl’s parents experienced bad times, she would be sent to work in the house of her future husband.
Young brides were often mistreated by their mother-in-laws.
If a woman's husband died, she was not allowed to remarry.

57. B. Women in Asia Today
Since after World War II, women gained equal rights with men.
Women can now seek divorce and own property.
There are no more forced marriages.
Women received equal pay as men.

58. Japanese Diet and Cuisine
The diet and cuisine of the Japanese have been strongly influenced by geography and agriculture
Rice has always been the staple food in Japan
Sake, the traditional alcoholic drink, is made of rice
The scarcity of meat, together with the Buddhist taboo against the taking of animal life made the Japanese non-meat eaters, except for fish, for most of their history.
Much of the fish in Japan is eaten raw, wither in small slices called sashimi or as sushi which combines the fish with seaweed and rice
Another source of protein besides fish is soybean which is used to make tofu

59. The Japanese Home The home is constructed of wood, bamboo, and straw.
Rooms are separated from one another by shoji, light sliding screens made of paper stretched over a wooden frame.
The house has little furniture
The Japanese often use a small charcoal stove called a hibachi as a heater
The floor, which is raised several feet above the ground, is covered by reed mats called tatami.
Since few homes have chairs, family members and visitors sit cross legged on pillows.
The family sleeps on heavy quilts spread on the matted floor.

60. Japanese Arts Tea Ceremony
On special occasions the Japanese transform the drinking of tea into a ceremony that is both ritual and an art
It is called the Chanoyo and it takes about four hours and features the serving of matcha, powdered green tea.
The ceremony is designed to make a person one with nature, to see beauty in simplicity and economy of movement.
It is an art, not a means of offering refreshment.
Every detail of participation is governed by tradition and the ceremony is both a spiritual experience and a mental exercise

61. Ikebana - It is the art of flower arrangement
Ikebana uses line, color, and rhythm to create floral designs
Bonsai - For centuries the Japanese have developed the art of dwarfing (making things small) trees.
This is the art of bonsai which are planted in pots, are used for ornaments in rooms or to decorate a garden

62. Theater Noh Play: the backdrop is often a single pine tree
In Noh plays there are usually three roles - an old man, a woman, and a samurai
Noh plays are usually short and they are presented as a group of plays with performances as long as 6 hours.
The groups plays are about subjects such as: God plays, warrior-ghost plays, women plays, and demon plays.
Dancing and chanting accompany the action of the plays.
Masks and beautifully designed costumes are worn by the actor- dancers

63. Bunraku is a puppet play where the puppets
Bunraku is a puppet play where the puppets are nearly life-size and are very lifelike.
They are controlled on the stage by a team of three puppeteers who are visible to the audience
The puppeteer’s performances depend upon long years of practice and teamwork
The most popular type of drama for the Japanese is Kabuki
All roles in Kabuki, both male and female were until recently played by men
Actors taking feminine roles were trained from childhood to walk, talk, and behave like women.

64. Haiku Haiku is the simplest form of poetry
It consists of one verse with 17 syllables, spaced over three lines in a pattern END SEC. 3

65. The Silk Road International trade has been occurring for centuries.
One of the oldest trade routes was the Silk Road.
Its use began about the 5th to the 4th centuries BC.
Traders used this road to carry goods to and from Asia and Europe.
It included many branches, rather than just one direct route.
Many middlemen were involved in the trade occurring over the 4,000 mile route.
It was rare that traders would travel the entire route with their goods.
Camel caravans were used to transport goods along the Silk Road.
It reached its peak about 200 AD.
Along with its western connections to the Roman Empire, it was the longest road on Earth.

66. Connecting the Countries
The Silk Road started in Xi’an, in northwestern China.
It then headed westward, going around the Taklimakan Desert and through mts.
It went through Afghanistan, and ended in the Levant, or the shores of the eastern Mediterranean Sea in Lebanon.
From the Levant, the goods traveled over the Mediterranean Sea to places in Europe.
Eventually, the Silk Road would push further east to Shanghai, on the coast of the Pacific.
The journey was difficult, dangerous, and long.
Traders traveled over mountains and through deserts in a hot climate.
They defended themselves against the robbers who made their living stealing from the merchants.

67. The Products and Ideas the Traveled the Road
People at each end of the Silk Road, as well as along the way, wanted to trade their goods with each other.
Crops from western Asia, such as grapes, figs, cucumbers, and walnuts went to China.
Glass from Europe and cotton cloth from India traveled to China.
The Chinese traded their prized silk with the rest of Asia and Europe.
Europeans also wanted spices because they not only added flavor to food, but they also helped preserve food.
Asians wanted wool, gold, and silver from the west.

68. As a result of its basic beliefs, Buddhism easily spread along the Silk Road.
From Buddhist temples and shrines built along the Silk Road, it was east for Buddhist monks and priest to share their ideas with travelers using the road.
Travelers as well as local people liked the Buddhist idea that thought their present life is dull of suffering, the cycle of birth, death, rebirth, and suffering can be broken by following Buddhist ideas and practices.
Buddhist ideas found favor with people of a variety of ethnicities and languages.

69. The Road’s Importance
Traders used the Silk Road until a safe sea route from Europe to Asia was possible.
A safer and faster water passage route connecting Eastern Europe to India and China had to be found.
Then, instead of getting goods via and middlemen of Central Asia, European traders could buy spices and other goods from East Asia directly, and then sell them in European markets.

70. Today, part of the Silk Road is still in existence.
It extends from a portion of western China to Pakistan.
The United Nations would like to make the Silk Road into a trans-Asian highway.
The Silk Road’s legacy is the part it played spreading goods and ideas among many civilizations of the past.

71. Silk The Chinese invented the method to make silk cloth by 2700 BC.
The legend tells of Lei Zu, the wife of the Yellow Emperor.
She sat in her garden and watched silkworms spinning cocoons.
She unwound one and loved the shiny, soft, silken thread.
She thought the fiber would make beautiful and strong cloth.
China kept the method of silk making a secret for centuries.
China made a vast amount of money trading silk with Europe and the rest of Asia.

72. Paper and Block Printing
It is commonly accepted that Cai Lun showed the Chinese emperor the invention of paper in 105 AD.
According to archeological evidence, however, paper may have been used two hundred years prior to AD.
In order to make their paper, the Chinese used the fiber from bamboo.
The materials and process used to created bamboo paper allows for the creation of a very fine paper.
Other methods used in papermaking include tree bark, hemp, and rags.

73. Gunpowder
About 850 AD, during the Tang dynasty, the Chinese invented gunpowder.
They mixed saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal, which are natural resources found in China.
During this dynasty, gunpowder was used in firework displays.
During the Song dynasty, the gunpowder was used in weapons of warfare such as flaming arrows, grenades, and cannonballs.

74. The Development of Tea
Tea was first consumed while the Emperor Shen-Nung was in power, around 2700 BC.
A tea shredder was used to shred the tea leaves that would be put into hot water.
The Chinese inventor of the tea shredder is not known.
Today, tea remains the most widely drunk beverage in the world.

75. China’s Contribution to World Civilization
Paper in 105 AD, wood block prints in the 7th century, movable type in 1041, paper money in the 11th century, gunpowder in the 8th century, firecrackers in 1127, cannon in 1332, compass in 3rd century BC
Jade – a hard, semi-translucent stone used in jewelry
Lacquered – A hard, colored varnish used on vessels, boxes, furniture, ceilings, and other wooden or metal objects

76. Crops of Early Indian Civilizations
The people of the ancient Indus River valley civilization farmed and traded.
They grew crops of wheat, barley, melons, dates, and cotton.
These farmers were the first people to grow cotton and weave the fiber into cotton cloth.
The merchants traded such goods as cotton cloth, grain, copper, and ivory to other lands.
They sailed along the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf to trade with others.

77. Arabic Numbers
The mathematicians of the Gupta dynasty, during the period from 320 to 550 AD, created the concept of zero and the numeral system we use today.
Then, Europeans learned about the concept of zero and the numerals from Arabic traders in the Middle East.
When Europeans started to use zero and the numerals, they called them Arabic numerals.
That is why the number system we use today is called the Arabic system even through Indians developed it.

78. Origins of Chess
There is controversy about whether chess was in fact developed in India.
It is generally agreed that the playing of chess did begin in India around the 7th century AD.
Many words fro chess in different languages including Arabic, Greek, and Spanish come from the Sanskrit word for chess, which is Chaturanga.
Sanskrit is an ancient language of India.
Furthermore, the Indian version of chess contains the horse, camel, and elephant.
These three animals are the equivalent of the knight, bishop, and rook of present-day chess.

79. Early History Indus Valley arose between 3000 BC and 1500 BC
important cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
each city had a fort, brick buildings, next to a river, drainpipes, trade centered
uniform set of weights and measures; started chess

80. Aryans Invade India
came from NW and were fair skinned; nomadic headers
since India had great land, they forcefully settled there
basis of Indian civ. is a mix of Aryans and Indus Valley peoples ( BC)
many kingdoms developed which was ruled by a rajahs or a prince
started the lang. of Sanskrit; matr mother, bhrata - brother, svasir sister, duhita - daughter, sunu son

81. The History of Ancient China
Chinese civilization began about 4,000 years ago; the first people were wandering hunters and fishermen
after they learned to farm, they settled down, built homes, and worked the land.
The Chinese developed cities, government, religion and writing, coined money, and made a calendar.
Different sets of families or Dynasties, ruled China over the years.
The first dynasty, according to legend, was the Xia
The first known dynasty is the Shang (1766 BC BC)
The longest lasting was the Zhou (1122 BC BC)

82. The Dynasty
We get the name China from the Ch’in Dynasty; who was ruled by Shi Huangdi – the first official ruler of a united China
In 618 AD the Tang Dynasty took over
When the Mongols took over, which included Kublai Khan, the dynasty was called the Yuan.
This lasted only 90 years but this is the time when Marco Polo visited
After the Mongol Empire fell, the Ming Dynasty took over in 1368 and isolated China from the rest of the world. .

83. The Mongol Empire
The Mongols ruled the plains of Central Asia, from the Gobi Desert to the Ural Mountains.
These nomads lived in felt tent-homes called yurts.
They traveled the lands with their herds and they called their leaders khans
The most famous leaders were Genghis Khan and his grandson, Kublai Khan
The Mongols created the largest land empire in history – stretched from Europe to the Pacific Ocean and Siberia to India.