Chapter 3 Ancient India and China: 2600 B.C.–A.D. 550
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Chapter Focus Question
In what ways did the civilizations and empires of ancient India and China lay long-lasting social and political foundations?
Early Civilizations of India and Pakistan
Hinduism and Buddhism
Powerful Empires of India
Rise of Civilization in China
Strong Rulers Unite China
Section 1 Early Civilizations of India and Pakistan
Objectives
*
Describe the Indian subcontinent’s geography.
*
Understand the clues archaeology has provided about the rise and fall of the Indus civilization.
*
Analyze the main characteristics of the Aryan civilization and the Vedic Age.
*
Explain what ancient Indian epics reveal about Aryan life.
Terms, People, and Places
subcontinent
plateau
monsoon
Harappa
Mohenjo-Daro
veneration
Vedas
rajah
Indra
brahman
mystic
acculturation
Note Taking
Checkpoint (s)
How has geography affected where people live in the Indian subcontinent?
What evidence shows that Indus civilization included a well-organized government?
How were Aryan society and government structured?
What types of values are revealed in Indian epics?
Map Skills
The earliest civilization in the Indian subcontinent developed in the Indus Valley.
1. Locate
(a) Himalayas (b) Deccan (c) Indus River (d) Ganges River (e) Harappa
2. Place
What natural features did people benefit from by living in the Indus River valley?
3. Make Comparisons
How do you think the Narmada River valley would have compared to the Indus River valley as a site for a civilization to develop?
Biography
Mortimer Wheeler
Much of what we know about Indus civilization comes from the work of Sir Mortimer Wheeler (1890–1976), who directed the excavations of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro in the 1940s. Previously, Wheeler had led one of England’s first university archaeology departments, run a museum, and headed the first archaeological excavation to use trained volunteers rather than untrained laborers.
As well, through publications and frequent appearances on popular radio and television shows, Wheeler inspired thousands of people to visit his research sites. Indeed, Wheeler succeeded in fascinating the public with the work of archaeologists.
What did Wheeler contribute to archaeology?
Primary Source
Primary Source (2nd one in this section)
The gods’ creation of the universe is described in the Rig Veda. It says they divided the body of Purusha, the first man, into four parts to create the four social groups of ancient India. Which parts of the body became the warriors?
HW
SECTION 1 Assessment
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence
2. Use your completed chart to answer the Focus Question: How have scholars learned about India’s first two civilizations, the Indus and the Aryan?
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Analyze Information
3. Describe two ways in which geography and climate have influenced the people of the Indian subcontinent.
Recognize Sufficient Evidence
4. What types of evidence do you think archaeologists should look for to explain how the Indus civilization declined and became unknown to the world for 4,000 years?
Draw Conclusions
5. How reliably do you think epic literature tells us about Aryan life?
EC
Writing About History
Section 2 Hinduism and Buddhism
Objectives
*
Outline the essential beliefs of Hinduism.
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Analyze how the caste system shaped India.
*
Understand the key teachings of the Buddha.
*
Explore how Buddhism grew and changed as it spread beyond India.
Terms, People, and Places
atman
moksha
reincarnation
karma
dharma
ahimsa
caste
Siddhartha Gautama
Four Noble Truths
Eightfold Path
nirvana
sect
Note Taking
Checkpoint (s)
How do the Hindu gods relate to brahman?
How did caste provide a sense of order in society?
What did Gautama hope to learn when he left home?
How do you think the collecting of the Buddha’s teachings helped the religion to spread beyond India?
Map Skills
Missionaries and merchants spread Buddhism to many parts of Asia. It still thrives there today—though it is not practiced much in India.
1. Locate
(a) India (b) China (c) Sri Lanka (d) Korea
2. Movement
How did Buddhism spread to Japan?
3. Synthesize Information
Looking at both maps, which arrows on the large map do you think represent the spread of Theravada Buddhism?
HW
SECTION 2 Assessment
Note Taking
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence
2. Use your completed flowchart to answer the Focus Question: In what ways were religion and society intertwined in ancient India?
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Summarize
3. Explain the roles of karma, dharma, and reincarnation in the process of achieving moksha. Hint
Analyze Information
4. What aspects of the caste system relate to basic Hindu beliefs?
Recognize Ideologies
5. According to the Buddha, how can people escape worldly suffering?
Draw Conclusions
6. What about Mahayana teachings do you think appealed to many people?
Writing About History
Section 3 Powerful Empires of India
Objectives
*
Analyze how Maurya rulers created a strong central government for their empire.
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Explore the kingdoms that arose across the Deccan.
*
Explain why the period of Gupta rule in India is considered a golden age.
*
Understand how family and village life shaped Indian society.
Terms, People, and Places
Chandragupta Maurya
dissent
Asoka
missionary
golden age
decimal system
joint family
dowry
Note Taking
Checkpoint (s)
How did Chandragupta organize Maurya government?
How do you think trade helped link the separate kingdoms of the Deccan?
How did religion influence learning and the arts in Gupta India?
Describe the structure of a typical Indian family.
Map Skills
Maurya and Gupta emperors were able to unite much of India under their rule.
1. Locate
(a) Ganges River (b) Indus River (c) Tamil Kingdoms (d) Hindu Kush (e) Nalanda
2. Movement
How did geography limit the northward expansion of both empires?
3. Analyze Information
What region of the Indian subcontinent remained separate from both the Maurya and the Gupta empires?
HW
SECTION 3 Assessment
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence
2. Use your completed timeline to answer the Focus Question: In what ways did Maurya and Gupta rulers achieve peace and order for ancient India?
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Make Comparisons
3. Compare the approaches of Chandragupta and Asoka to ruling the Maurya empire.
Analyze Information
4. Describe three achievements of the Gupta period that made it a golden age.
Recognize Ideologies
5. How did the roles played by family and village in Indian life reveal the value of placing the needs of the community or group above those of the individual?
EC
Writing About History
Section 4 Rise of Civilization in China
Objectives
*
Understand how geography influenced early Chinese civilization.
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Analyze how Chinese culture took shape under the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
*
Describe the religions and belief systems that developed in early China.
*
List some achievements made in early China.
Terms, People, and Places
loess
clan
dynastic cycle
feudalism
Confucius
Laozi
philosophy
filial piety
oracle bone
character
calligraphy
Note Taking
Checkpoint (s)
In what different ways did people live in ancient China?
How was China governed during the Shang dynasty?
Explain three ways that China expanded during the Zhou dynasty.
What did early Chinese communities do to ensure good harvests?
Explain the different ways in which Confucianism and Daoism taught that people should live their lives.
For what purpose did writing begin in China?
Map
Shang and Zhou Civilizations
Map Skills
Today, China extends west from the Pacific Ocean deep into central Asia. Its first civilizations existed in the eastern part of the modern-day country.
1. Locate
(a) Chang River (b) Gobi (c) Huang River (d) Anyang
2. Place
What physical features acted as obstacles to contact outside China?
3. Draw Inferences
In which directions from China do you think it was easiest for the Chinese to make contact with other people? Why?
Confucius
Confucius (551 B.C.–479 B.C.) decided at an early age to dedicate himself to education and public service. He felt that educated people had a responsibility to serve in government so that they could translate their good ideas into action.
As a teacher, Confucius spread education to both rich and poor. He inspired thousands of followers with his guidelines about the proper way to live. As a public servant, he did not fare so well, however. His high standards of conduct often brought him into conflict with corrupt officials. According to Confucius, “The superior man understands righteousness. The inferior man understands profit.”
Why do you think people were inspired by Confucius’ teachings?
HW
SECTION 4 Assessment
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence
2. Use your completed chart to answer the Focus Question: What characteristics defined the civilization that developed in China under its early rulers?
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Summarize
3. What geographic challenges did China’s early rulers face when trying to unite China or make alliances with peoples outside of China?
Synthesize Information
4. What were the characteristics of the Shang and Zhou government and social structure?
Analyze Information
5. What aspects of Confucianism and Daoism do you think contributed to their long-lasting influence?
Draw Inferences
6. How do the various cultural developments of early China still affect the lives of people today?
EC
Writing About History
Section 5 Strong Rulers Unite China
Objectives
*
Understand how Shi Huangdi unified China and established a Legalist government.
*
Describe how Han rulers strengthened the economy and government of China.
*
Outline why the Han period is considered a golden age of Chinese civilization.
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Analyze why many Chinese people accepted Buddhist ideas.
Terms, People, and Places
Shi Huangdi
Wudi
monopoly
expansionism
civil servant
warlord
acupuncture
Note Taking
Checkpoint (s)
What kind of government did Legalists favor?
How did Han emperors further economic growth?
What sorts of achievements made the Han period a golden age?
Why did Buddhism appeal to many people in China?
Map
Qin and Han Empires
Map Skills
Under the Qin and Han dynasties, Chinese rule expanded significantly, as did the Great Wall (pictured below).
1. Locate
(a) Great Wall (b) Qin empire (c) Han empire (d) Chengdu (e) Takla Makan Desert
2. Place
What natural barriers helped protect China from invaders?
3. Draw Conclusions
How did the Great Wall’s placement relate to the extent of the empires? What does this tell you about where invaders came from?
HW
SECTION 5 Assessment
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence
2. Use your completed chart to answer the Focus Question: How did powerful emperors unite much of China and bring about a golden age of cultural achievements?
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Summarize
3. What were three steps Shi Huangdi took to unify China?
Demonstrate Reasoned Judgment
4. What aspects of the civil service system do you think allowed it to last for such a great length of time?
Determine Relevance
5. Select three achievements made during the Han period and describe why you think they were significant advancements.
EC
Writing About History
G. Mick Smith, PhD, Senior Educational Technology Executive: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmicksmith/
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Definition of Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc: Cf. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage media format. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same dimensions as a standard DVD or CD.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write this type of disc. Because of its shorter wavelength (405 nm), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 GB, almost six times the capacity of a dual layer DVD.
Blu-ray was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group of companies representing consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion picture production. The standard is covered by several patents belonging to different companies. As of March 2007, a joint licensing agreement for all the relevant patents had not yet been finalized.
As of February 19, 2008, more than 450 Blu-ray Disc titles have been released in the United States, and more than 250 in Japan.
Blu-ray was locked in a format war against HD DVD until the format emerged as the winner on February 19, 2008 when Toshiba — the main driving force behind HD DVD — announced it would no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. Some analysts believe that Sony's PlayStation 3 video game console played an important role in the format war, believing it acted as a catalyst for Blu-ray Disc, as the PlayStation 3 used a Blu-ray disc drive as its primary source of media-reading technology. They also credited Sony's more thorough and influential marketing campaign. It must also be noted, that Blu-ray players can reproduce AVCHD content, recorded by modern high definition camcorders, while HD DVD could not.
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