Groups should be ready for our Roman Readers Theater on Tuesday! Tuesday we will also be analyzing documents. I will collect your term chapter 3 'quiz' on Tuesday. And you will get the chapter 3 readers guide on Tuesday.
AP World History -
Stearns
Chapter 3 – Classical
Civilization: India
I. Introduction – difference vs. China
a. China
focus on politics/related philosophies vs. India focus on religion/social
structure
b. Less
cohesive political structure
c. Both
were agricultural societies, localist flavor, male ownership, patriarchal,
trade
II. The Framework for Indian History: Geography and a
Formative Period
a.
Closer to other civilizations
1.
Influenced by Middle East/Mediterranean
2.
Persian Empires spilled over/Alexander also
3.
. Forced to react and adapt
b.
Topography
1.
Passes through Himalayas linked India
2.
Somewhat set apart
3.
Political unity difficult – greater diversity
than middle kingdom
c.
River civilizations – Indus and Ganges
d.
Mountainous north – herding society
e.
Separate regions contributed to:
1.
economic diversity
2.
racial differences
3.
language differences
f.
Unstable, monsoon climate – but helped with
agriculture
1.
Harvest two crops in a year, help support large
population
g.
Formative period – Vedic and Epic ages – Aryan
migrants – hunting and herding peoples
1.
Knowledge passed down through epics written in
Sanskrit – Vedas
a.
Mahabharata
b.
Ramayana
c.
Upanishads
2.
Aryans settled, made tight-knit villages
a.
Families patriarchal, connected across
generation
b.
Aryans created social classes
a.
Warrior/governing – Kshatriyas
b.
Priests – Brahmins
c.
Traders/farmers – Vaisyas
d.
Common laborers – Sudras
e.
Untouchables – refuse, transporting dead bodies,
other lovely jobs
c.
Social groups became hereditary
1.
Can’t marry between castes – punishable by death
2.
Broken into smaller subgroups
d.
Aryans brought polytheistic religion – similar
to Greek myth, Scandinavians
a.
One of few polytheistic religions to survive
1.
Hymns/sacrifice
e.
Upanishads – epic poems
a.
Sacred animals – monkeys/cattle
b.
Rituals and sacrifice
c.
Brahmin class enforced rituals
d.
Unifying divine force, seek union with this
force
III. Patterns in Classical India – end of 600 BCE –
formative phase
A.
16 major states existed – some monarchies, some
republics – dominated by warriors/priests
B.
Eras often created as reaction to invaders
C.
Mauryan Dynasty – Chandragupta Mauryan 322BCE –
unified subcontinent
a.
maintained large armies
b.
developed bureaucracy
c.
highly autocratic – rely on ruler’s power
d.
style of govt
i.
autocratic – based on ruler’s personal/military
power
e.
Ashoka – grandson – lavish lifestyle
i.
influenced by nature/spiritualism
ii.
but…bloodthirsty methods of expansion
iii.
converted to Buddhism – think Constantine
1.
spread Buddhism throughout empire, honored
Hinduism – precedent
iv.
improved trade/ road network
f.
Kushans – outside invaders – converted to
Buddhism
i.
but…bad for Buddhism – connected to outsiders
D.
Guptas – 320 CE
a.
no powerful individual rulers, but greater
impact
b.
negotiate w/ local princes
i.
expanded influence w/out fighting – diff. than
above
c.
two generations of political stability – think
Pax Romana
E.
Shifted between empires and network of smaller
kingdoms
IV. Political Institutions
A.
Regionalism – diversity
a.
Autocratic kings once in awhile, but also
aristocratic assemblies
B.
How did they maintain power?
a.
Mauryan – military power
b.
Gupta
i.
negotiation
ii.
appointed by gods
iii.
allowed local rulers to have autonomy – think Rome
1.
no single language imposed – promoted Sanskrit,
but…
iv.
Golden Age
1.
spread laws
2.
supported university, arts, literature
C.
However…not an elaborate political culture
a.
little political theory, not like Greeks
b.
Kautilya – how to maintain power – like Legalism
in China
c.
political service not valued as important
d.
Buddhist leaders not interested in political
affairs
D.
Why the limitations?
a.
local governments
b.
caste system already regulated life – social
behavior – political laws unnecessary
i.
subcastes, hereditary – can’t marry outside
1.
but…marry below, or lower job and you could lose
caste
2.
rarely move up in caste – did well economically
ii.
most rigid social structure of all classic
civilizations
1.
method of conquerors and conquered to live
together in peace
2.
not necessary to totally blend cultures
3.
promoted tolerance
4.
slavery avoided – untouchables not owned
E.
Qualities of civilization based on cultural
values
a.
Hindu/Buddhism clearest cement
b.
remarkable ability to survive
c.
means so many different things to so many
different people
d.
can evolve
e.
Indian children can indulge imaginations
i.
imaginative links with higher power
f.
clear continuity though rarely under one
political power
V. Religion and Culture
A. Hinduism
– origins in Vedic and Epic ages
a.
Rig-Veda – Creation hymn
b.
Different – no single founder – no central holy figure
1.
Grew gradually, sometimes in reaction to other religions – Buddhism/Islam
c.
Religious approaches
1.
Ritualistic ceremonies performed by brahmans
2.
mysticism – unite humans w/ divine
3.
encouraged political and economic goals (artha) and worldly pleasures (karma)
4.
fluidity – adaptable – tolerant – many suitable paths of worship –
Christianity?
d.
Brahmanism – Brahman leadership elaborate – called by scholars – dharma by
Hindus
1.
gods of nature altered – represent abstract
a.
Varuna – god of the sky to guardian of right and wrong
2.
Epic poems – gentle/generous behavior
e.
Upanishads – shallowness of worldly concerns – wealth/health
f.
each person’s soul part of universe
g.
religion of rituals vs. religion of mystics
1.
mystics – gurus and Brahmas agreed to
a.
existence of divine essence – several gods – try to seek union w/ this soul
1.
Vishnu – preserved/ Shiva – destroyer
2.
takes many lifetimes – reincarnation
3.
where soul goes depends on reincarnation
h.
options for good life
1.
meditation/self-discipline – yoga
2.
others wanted rituals – cremation, prayers, sacred cows, refrain from beef
3.
some believed in lesser nature gods
4.
symbolic sacrifices might assist in reincarnation
e.
life obligations
1.
serve family
2.
earn money
3.
serve in army when necessary
f.
Bhagavad Gita – classic hymn – OK to kill family, duty, plus they’re
reincarnated
g.
but…doesn’t have strict ethical codes – aka Ten Commandments
h.
Why did it spread?
1.
satisfying rules of conduct for life
2.
incorporated previous religion
3.
caste system – better time in future life
B. Buddhism
– 563 BCE – Siddhartha Gautama – Buddha – enlightened one
a.
searched for truth, found it, accepted many elements of Hinduism, but..
1.
disagreed with caste system
2.
all worldly desires hurt you
3.
if you destroy self, can reach nirvana – self-control – regulate life
4.
denied importance of rituals/priests
b.
spread by group of monks – prayer/charity/piety helped spread message
1.
Brahman opposition strong
c.
Hinduism still attractive due to mysticism
C.
Literature
a.
Political theory sparse, but wrote about human life
b.
“laws of love” – Kamasutra – male/female relationships
c.
Recorded epics – lively stories
d.
Romantic adventure – separated/returned – romantic/adventure
D. Science
a.
Supported university – astronomy and medicine
1.
Religion prevented dissection
2.
Bone setting, plastic surgery, sterilization – reached West much later
D.
Mathematics – imported through Arabs – but Indian
a.
Concept of zero – decimal system
b.
negative numbers
c.
square roots
d.
pi
E. Art –
lively, but much perished
a.
Stupas – spherical shrines to Buddha
b.
Not realistic like Greeks, but stylized
c.
Appreciation of nature
d.
Joy of life themes + celebrate religion
F. Tone –
not rational like West, or concentration on Politics like China
VI. Economy and Society
A. Caste
system
1.
Different punishments for different crimes – Brahman killed servant – same as
dog
2.
Villagers rarely had contact with higher caste
B. Family
life based on hierarchy
1.
wife worship husband as god
2.
women lost power as male power expanded – common of agricultural societies
3.
question – could woman advance spiritually if not reincarnated as man?
4.
Arranged marriages – solid economic links
5.
Emphasis on loving relations/sexual pleasure
6.
children indulged and then expected to work hard
7.
clever-strong willed women as goddesses
C. Economy
1.
Chemistry, strongest steel – better than West until recently
2.
Textiles – cotton cloth, calico, cashmere
3.
Emphasis on trade far greater than in China
a.
Tamil traders – cotton, silks, dyes, drugs, gold, ivory
4.
Most people lived subsistence lives
In Depth: Inequality as the Social Norm
VII. Indian Influence
A. Indian Ocean – most active linkage point among cultures
1.
No civilization to compete w/ India
– but not empire builders
B. Effect
on other areas
1.
married into royal families
2.
temples and Indian art constructed
3.
Buddhism spread throughout – Hinduism to upper class Indonesian families
4.
Affect China
> Buddhism and art
C. Started
after Aryan invasions, but classical period lasted longer than China/Rome
1.
Foundation of religion, art, literary tradition, social & family network
VIII. China
and India
– borrowed from each other, but didn’t change
A. India
vs. China
- Differences
1.
Art – lively vs. restrained
2.
primary religion vs. separate religions/philosophies to fit needs
a.
Religion more otherworldly vs. practicial findings
3.
Emphasis on caste vs. political structure
4.
Different emotional reactions vs. restrained behavior
5.
Expanded cultural influence through trade vs. new territory/emissaries
6.
Land ownership consistent vs. trying to get more land/take over power
B. India
vs. China
– Similarities
1.
large peasant class
2.
close-knit villages
3.
mutual cooperation
4.
cities/merchants took on secondary role
a.
but…more sea trade in India
5.
owners of land had power, could tax
6.
patriarchy
IX. Global Connections
A. no
civilization more open to others
B. None more
central to cultural exchanges
C. New
civilizations
1.
Trade influence grew
2.
Religion, epics, art, architecture led to new civilizations – Angkor
Wat/Majapahit
D. Trading
network
1.
Coveted cotton textiles and bronze statuaries
2.
Epic literature
No comments:
Post a Comment