ANCIENT INDIA &
CHINA
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Section 1
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS
OF INDIA &
PAKISTAN
Hinduism Warm Up
“The essential self or the virtual essence in humans is
the same as that in an ant, the same as that in a gnat, the
same as that in an elephant…indeed the same as that in
the whole universe.”
Hindu quote
What does this quote mean? Explain
using your own words
Early Civilizations of INDIA & PAKISTAN
Key Terms
Mohenjo-Daro
Vedas
Brahman
Rajah
Acculturation
Essential Question: “How have scholars learned about
India’s first two civilizations, Indus & Aryan?”
Geography of India
• Indian subcontinent is a large
landmass that juts out from
Asia
• Divided into 3 zones:
• Gangetic Plain: good rivers for
farming
• Deccan Plateau: raised area of flat
land too dry for farming
• Coastal Plains: known for
monsoons= wind & rain
storms that last for months
Civilizations Begin & End
• Civilization begins in India around
2600 BC in Indus River Valley
• First cities: Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro
• People worshipped many gods &
held animals sacred
• Veneration for cattle= special
regard & protection of cows
• Civilizations failed around 1900 BC
• Caused by flood or earthquake
Aryan Civilization
• Aryans migrate to India & establish settlement (1500 BC)
• Farmed & elected leaders called rajahs
• Competed for control of land & trade
• 4 groups of people in Aryan society:
• Top= Priests warriorsfarmersmerchants servants
Aryan Religion
• People worshipped gods & goddesses
who embodied natural forces such as sky,
sun, water, etc.
• Indra: god of war, chief god, used
thunderbolts for weapons
• Vedas: collection of hymns &
religious instructions
• Brahman: single spiritual power
beyond Vedas
• Mystics sought direct communion with
divine forces
Epic Literature of Aryans
• 500 BC= many kingdoms= many different cultures
• Acculturation- creating a common culture by
blending traditions
• Wrote epic poems in Sanskrit language
• Mahabharata- tells of warfare & religion
• Ramayana- teaches values
Summary
• How did the Aryan civilization differ from the Indus
River Valley that came before it?
• How were Aryan society & government structured?
• What types of values were revealed in Indian epic
poems?
• Main Idea?
Chapter 3
HINDUISM &
BUDDHISM
Journal Entry
What does
American
culture/religion
have in common
with India’s
culture &
religion?
*Write the
prompt & your
response, 1
paragraph.*
Hinduism & Buddhism
Reincarnation
Caste
Four Noble Truths
Key Terms
Karma
Nirvana
Siddhartha Gautama
Eightfold Path
Essential Question: “ In what ways were religion and
society connected in Ancient India?”
Beliefs of Hinduism
• Hinduism has no single
founder, mixture of diverse
cultures led to Hinduism
• Hindus worship a variety of
gods:
• Brahma: the Creator god
• Vishnu: the preserver
• Shiva: the Destroyer
• Hindu teachings recorded in Vedas
& in the Bhagavad-Gita
Hinduism Beliefs
• Every person has an essential self
(altman)
• Hindus believe in achieving moksha
(union w/ brahma)
• Free from selfish desires
• Reincarnation: rebirth of the soul
in another bodily form
• To continue working toward moksha in
other lifetimes
• Karma: all actions in a person’s
life that affect fate in the next life
Hindu
Beliefs
Karma: person’s
behavior in life
determines their
caste in the next
life
Dharma: Your
responsibilities in
life to family &
caste, do this job
well!
Caste System
• Aryans divided society into 4 groups
• Indian caste system divided non-Aryans
• Caste: social groups people are born into and rarely
changes
• Caste= represents Hindu species, can not marry outside caste
• High caste & Low caste (untouchables) are separated
• Can only achieve higher caste in next life by works in this life
Teachings of Buddha
• Siddhartha Gautama: teachings spread throughout Asia
• Prophet predicted boy Gautama would become holy
• Taught 4 noble truths:
• All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow
• Cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative actions &
hatred
• Only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirtue
• To overcome nonvirtue, follow the Eightfold Path
• Eightfold Path: “Right views, right aspirations, right speech,
right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, &
right contemplation”
Buddhism Spreads
• Monasteries & Convents set up throughout India & Asia
• Buddhism splits into 2 major sects= subgroups
• Theravada Buddhism: life devoted to Buddha= monks & nuns
• Mahayana Buddhism: ordinary people follow to achieve salvation
• Hindu religion begins to absorb Buddhist teachings
• Buddhism declines & Hindu takes over
Buddhism
Hinduism
BOTH
Chapter 3
RISE OF
CIVILIZATION IN
CHINA
Geography Influences China
• Earliest civilizations grew along Huang River
• Farming & trade again!
• Known for fine, windblown, yellow soil  loess
• Frequently flooded “River of Sorrows”
• Need to control water led to stronger
government
Shang Dynasty
• 1766 BC Kings and princes ruled together
• Clans: groups of families, claiming common ancestors
• Royal family=top of society & women had military leadership
• Warriors used horses and chariots
• Majority of people were peasant farmers
• Conquered by Zhou (joh) people
Zhou Dynasty
• Overthrew Shang in 1122 BC
• Rulers believed in “divine right to rule”
 Mandate of Heaven
• Dynastic Cycle: rise & fall of
dynasties
• Corrupt rulers dynasty fails
• Feudalism: lords governed own land,
but owed military service to a ruler
• Dynasty ended when fighting lords
could not be controlled
Religion
• Shang Dynasty= many gods Zhou
Dynasty= thinkers
• Confucius: philosophy emphasized
social order & good gov’t
• Filial piety= respect for parents
most important
• Laozi founded Daoism
• Emphasized harmony with nature &
focus on “Dao” or “the Way”
Achievements of China
• Silk-making: Secret technique
• Luxury fabric item great for trade
• Developed system of writing
• Wrote questions for the gods on oracle bones
• Priests interpret answers
• Later turned to writing art called Chinese Calligraphy
Summary
• How was China governed during Shang Dynasty?
• What was the focus of Confucius’ teachings?
• Main Idea:
Religion Posters
• Groups will choose one religion from various ancient
civilizations we have studied and create a poster with
pictures, symbols, info, quotes, principles, etc.
representing the religion
• 1) Hinduism
No more than one
• 2) Buddhism
group per religion
• 3) Confucianism
• 4) Daoism
• 5) Egyptian gods/beliefs
• 6) Judaism
Ch. 3 Section 5
RULERS OF CHINA
Shi Huangdi Unifies China
• 221 BC= self-proclaimed Shi Huangdi= “First
Emperor”
• Used harsh legalism to rule
• Strict punishments for criminals and law breakers
• Ruled with strength not goodness
• Burned books that would educate people and encourage
dissent
• Abolished feudalism, established military states
• Peasants paid high taxes on land
• Standardized weights, measure, writing, cart
axles, and roads= unified China
Building Projects
• Shi Huangdi’s greatest
achievement= Great Wall of
China
• Defense wall for kingdom
• 25 ft high, pulled together China’s
resources & people
• Qin Dynasty collapses after Shi
Huangdi’s death due to high taxes,
harsh rule, forced labor, and revolts
Han Dynasty (cont)
• Silk Road: network of trade
routes that link China to the
West
• Foods, fabrics, furs
• Civil Servants: officials in gov’t,
should earn positions by
merit, not by family ties
• Based on education &
achievement, not who you are
• Warlords: local military rulers,
overthrew the weaker leaders
of Han dynasty
Golden Age
• Wrote about chemistry, astronomy, zoology, etc.
• Acupuncture: medical treatment of pain &
illness by inserting needles into pressure points
• Made advancements in technology & arts & engineering
• Buddhism spread in China
• Became a way to for Chinese to deal with crisis
• Strong administration & gov’t system
Summary
• What kind of government did legalist favor?
• How did the Han empire grow economically?
• What achievements were made in Han golden age?
• Why did Buddhism appeal to China?
• Main Idea?