ASIA STUDY GUIDE

1. Monsoons – a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by seasonal changes in precipitation 2. Dravidians/Tamils – people in india before gupta 3. Indo-Europeans/Aryans/Sanskirt – 4. Hinduism a. Caste system b. 3 main gods i. Brahma ii. Vishnu iii. Shiva c. Attempts to be all things to all people and to meet the needs of all mankind d. Goal: escape from living on Earth, and return to Brahman or ultimate reality (MOKSHA) 5. Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharata – all writings 6. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra – Priest, warrior, middle class, peasant 7. Dharma, karma, samsara, moksha – “If you follow you dharma (rules of that subcast) you get good karma (cause and effect), if you escape samsara (continuous flow, cycle of birth life death and rebirth) you achieve moksha (ultimate reality, released from cycle).” 8. Castes – social standing of a person, outcastes – untouchables bad jobs, cut off from the world 9. Reincarnation – rebirth 10. Brahma – Creator, Vishnu – preserver/sustainer, Shiva – Destroyer 11. Buddhism – stop wanting, follow the middle way, carried down Silk Road. Suffering 12. Siddartha Guatama - Buddha 13. Four noble truths/8-fold path – the middle way 14. Nirvana – the union with the supreme being through moksha 15. Theravada (Hinayana) – India, Mahayana – Tibet, china, SE Asia, Zen – Japan 16. Chandragupta Maurya – took over around 320 BC and united india warrioir but compied Alexander. Good ruler, Mauryan Empire – consists of Chandra gupta and asoka 17. Asoka –grandson, great ruler, warrior, kills millions, changes to buddhism uses it for law. 18. Gupta Empire/Advancements – Shranra gupta ruler, golden age, restores hinudsim, pushed out Buddhism, new advances in Math: Arabic numerals, integers, decimals, count pi, cosign in Geometr, zero. Medicine: first public hospital, inoculation (vaccines) sterolize. Astronomy: recognize planets solstices, equinox and theory of gravity.

Dynasty | Years of rule | Important characteristics/Accomplishments | Shang | 1700-1155 BC | * First Kingdom * First Civilization * Bronze * Great war lords fought | Zhou | 1100-250 BC | * Feudal state * Classic age * Era of philosophy (Confucius Daoism) * Increased agriculture * Lords took over the states (warring states) * Confuci and Laozi | Qin | 220-204 BC | * Shihuangdi first emperor and first empire * Great wall * Legalism * Unified china * Killed enemies brutally | Han | 200 BC – 220 AD | * Golden age * Mastered silk (silk road) * Redid paper * Wheel barrow * Strong wealthy numerous * Horse collar * Brought Confucianism back | Tang | 600-900 AD | * Great warriors * Tang Taizong * Built canal * Conquered Korea * Pushed to central Asia * Lost the Battle at Talis against Arabs starts decline * Golden age of literature * Era of peace | Song | 960-1260 AD | * Song Taizong * Confucianism spread * More enemies then Tang * They wear them down * Weak military made more treaties * Midway in got driven out in north china moved south | Yu’an (Mongol)Mongol continued | 1260-1360 AD1260-1360 AD | * Genghis Kahn (1120-1220) * Pox Mongolica * Trade routes open Culture diffusion * Kublai Kahn grandson takes over ruled this dynasty * Inspires Europeans takes over rest of china, tried to conqueror Japan * Mongols or foreigners are officials | Ming | 1368-1644 AD |