Unit 3 Study Guide: Classical India and China
Directions: Use your notebook and textbook (pages 57-66, 97-101, & 173-183) to answer all questions in this
packet.
Aryan Invasion of India and the Creation of the Caste System
1.
Which group of people invaded India around 1500 B.C.E.?
the Aryans
2. What is the path that the group of people used to
enter India? Both describe the path and mark it on
the map to the right.
they invaded from the north through the Hindu
Kush Mountains
3. Identify the different levels of the caste system in
India (in the correct order) AND identify which occupation(s) is/are associated with each. Include the
untouchables.

___ Brahmins: priests, scholars and teachers_______________________________________________

__Kshatriyas: warriors and rulers________________________________________________________

__ Vaishyas: commoners – merchants, artisan, and farmers _____________________________________

__ Sudras : peasants - manual workers and servants___________________________________________

____Untouchables: perform unpleasant jobs such as gravediggers, butchers and garbage collectors_______
Hinduism
4. Who founded Hinduism? Explain fully.
Hinduism developed over many years out of a combination of Aryan and Indian beliefs
5. What are the Vedas and the Upanishads?
The Vedas are a collection of sacred writings (songs, poems, etc.) in Hinduism. The Upanishads are the
writings that take place between a student and guru. The Upanishads help to interpret and explain the
meaning of the Vedas.
6. Explain the meaning/significance of each of the following:
a. Brahmanism - the religion of the Aryans – will become Hinduism, and Buddhism will come from it
b. Mahabharata – India epic that contains the Bhagavad-Gita
c. Dharma - the divine law or doctrine that is followed in Buddhism and Hinduism
d. Reincarnation - part of the wheel of life, you will be reborn into a new life after your death
e. karma - the idea of what goes around comes around – in this life and the next
f. satguru - enlightened master and teacher
g. moksha - the liberations form the cycle of rebirth – this is the place that all Hinduism will reach when all
purposes in life (karma) is completed
Buddhism
7. Where did Buddhism begin?
India
8. What are two ways we learned in class that Buddhism spread beyond India?
through trade and Buddhist missionaries/monks
9. Who was the founder of Buddhism (before he became known as the Buddha)?
Siddharta Gautama
10. In order the achieve enlightenment, the Buddha taught that people must first accept the Four Noble Truths.
What are the Four Noble Truths?
1) Nothing lasts forever, and suffering is present in all things.
2) Suffering is created by cravings.
3) The way to end suffering is to give up all cravings.
4) The way to give up all cravings is to live life according to the Eightfold Path
11. The Buddha also taught that once someone has accepted the Four Noble Truths, he/she must follow the
Eightfold/Middle Path in order to achieve enlightenment. What is the Eightfold Path? What are its basic
teachings?
this is how to live your life and calls for right knowledge, right purpose, right speech, right conduct, right
occupation, right effort, right awareness, and right meditation
Mauryan Empire
12. Who was the first leader of this empire?
Chandragupta Maurya
13. What kind of government did he establish and how did he keep his governors in line?
strong central government – he used spies
14. What is the connection between the leader you identified above in “a” and Asoka?
Asoka was his grandson
15. What caused Asoka to convert from Hinduism to Buddhism?
his dismay at the death and destruction that occurred at the battle at Kalinga
16. How did Asoka promote Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire? Explain!!
He had messages (edicts) that encouraged people to practice Buddhist values carved into rocks and on
pillars throughout the empire. He also became a Buddhist and modeled Buddhist practices, such as
nonviolence.
17. How did Asoka promote Buddhism outside the Mauryan Empire? Explain!!
He sent out ambassadors to teach Buddhism
18. What were the major advancements and accomplishments of this Empire?
He created the largest India Empire of Ancient times, he was tolerant, and he spread Buddhism
throughout Asia
Gupta Empire
a
3200BCE
b
500 BCE
c
0
500 CE
19. Which letter on the above timeline matches each of the following?
Gupta Empire __C___
Indus River Valley Civilization __A____
Mauryan Empire ___B___
20. What happened after the Asoka’s rule ended and what became of the Mauryan Empire?
The Mauryan Empire slowly lost power as the regional governors (princes) started to challenge the power of
the Empire.
21. What was the name of the next empire to form in India after the Mauryan Empire AND who was its first
leader?
Gupta Empire – Chandra Gupta
22. Why is the time of the Gupta Empire known as a “golden age” in India’s history?
It was a peaceful time that allowed for people to focus on art, science and education
23. Identify and describe the significant accomplishments of the Gupta Empire:
Built roads, created the number system that would become the Arabic Numbers, created zero and π,
advanced astronomy & Medicine
24. What Empire was Buddhist and which empire was Hindu?
Mauryan – Buddhist
Gupta - Hindu
25. Why does Hinduism become the dominant religion of India and Buddhism moves east?
Hinduism embraced the Caste System
26. Be able to recognize each India Empire on a Map!!!
China
27. Explain what the Warring States period was and what dynasty it was a part of?
It was a state of Civil War during the end of the Zhou dynasty
28. Explain the picture to the right?
The Dynastic Cycle explains how
dynasties come to power in China
29. Define:
a. Well-Field System – Chinese
Fideism
b. Filial Piety – Respect for ones elders
c. The Art of War – Great political book written during the Warring States period that explained how to
conduct war and run a nation
Three Schools of Thought in Classical China
30. What are the names of the three schools of thought that arose in classical China?
Confucianism
Legalism
Daoism
31. What are the key teachings of Daoism?
1. nature is full of opposites and true harmony only comes from balancing the opposite forces of
nature
2. people gain happiness and peace by living in harmony with nature through quiet meditation
3. just like in nature, where nothing strives for fame, power or knowledge, people should avoid feeling
self-important or striving for possessions and honors
4. people should accept whatever comes their way
5. too many rules interfere with living naturally
32. What are the key teachings of Confucianism?
1. society and government have to change if there is to be peace and order
2. rulers need to govern wisely
3. society works well when all people act properly based upon their roles and their relationships with
others
4. obey and respect those above you, especially your elders
5. if you have authority, set a good example: be kind, honest, wise and faithful
6. do not do to others what you would not want done to you
7. there are five basic relationships in life: (1) ruler and subject, (2) father and son, (3) husband and
wife, (4) older sibling and younger sibling and (5) friend and friend
33. What symbol is shown to the right? What idea does it symbolize AND with what
religion(s) is it associated?
 symbol for yin and yang
 symbolizes opposite forces of nature
 associated with Daoism
34. What are the key teachings of Legalism?
1. people are naturally selfish and, if left alone, they will always pursue their own self-interests
2. because people are selfish by nature, rulers must establish strict laws and enforce them by
rewarding good behavior and harshly punishing bad behavior
3. a ruler must have absolute power with a military to back him up rulers should trust no one, not
even their family members
Qin Dynasty
35. Who was the first leader of the Qin Dynasty?
Qin Shi Huangdi – Emperor Qin
36. Of the three philosophies we learned about that started in China, which was used by the first Emperor of
Qin?
Legalism
37. How did Emperor Qin handle opposition to his rule and his policies, especially opposition from Confucian
scholars?
through punishments such as exile and execution
38. Identify the four reforms we learned in class that Emperor Qin used to come to power and unify his empire:
1. Agricultural Advancements______________________________________
2. Government Administration: Legalism, standardization (money, law, education, and writing),
and Centralized government that dived up local power
3.
Military Organization___________________________________________
4.
Fiscal Policy: Spending and taxing__________________________________________
39. What did Emperor Qin have built in order to protect his empire from invasions from
the north? What can be found inside of this?
The Great Wall of China – the bodies of the peasants that died working on it
40. Describe the tomb of Emperor Qin and what did the people do to after his death?
It was a large tomb filled with terra-cotta figures, including soldiers, horses and chariots. The people
destroyed most of it in anger of the Emperor’s life
Han Dynasty
41. Be able to locate the Han Dynasty on a map.
42. How did the Han’s treatment of Confucian scholars differ from the way in which they were treated under the
Qin Dynasty?
Unlike under the Qin Dynasty when Confucian scholars were persecuted, Wudi favored the Confucian
scholars and valued their teachings
43. What is a civil service job? How did the way in which someone obtained a civil service job change under the
Han Dynasty? (Your explanation should include the role of Confucianism in the process for obtaining a civil
service job).
A civil service job is a government job that a civilian obtains by taking an exam. Prior to the Han Dynasty,
many civil service jobs went to members of the nobles’ families, regardless of their qualifications. Under
the Han, knowledge of Confucianism and its teachings became essential to obtaining civil service jobs. In
order to obtain a civil service job, an applicant had to pass a test about Confucianism. The Government
established schools for people who hoped to obtain civil service jobs where they could study Confucianism.
44. Identify and describe the significant accomplishments of the Han Dynasty.
Anesthetics, magnetic compass, seismography, Paper, and the Silk Road