Political Geography
What is India?
It has more people than any other country in the world except China. Approximately 80% of its citizen are members of the Hindu religion. Its capital is New Delhi.
What is Hinduism?
According to many historians, this is the oldest major religion still practiced today. It has many deities (gods and goddesses) that "combine to form a universal spirit." Its holy writings are the Vedas. Two key parts of this religion are Dharma and Karma.
What is the Mughal Empire?
This empire covered most of what is present-day Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and reached its peak between 1628 and 1658. Akbar and his grandson, Shah Jahan, were two of its greatest leaders.
Who is Confucius?
As the Zhou dynasty was falling into disorder, this teacher and government official tried to restore order by getting people to respect authority and one another.
What are the Himalayas?
This mountain range is home to nine of the ten tallest mountains in the world, including Mt. Everest, which is the tallest.
This range is also home to the Annapurna Circuit, one of the great hiking trails of the world.
What is North Korea and South Korea?
Two peninsular countries have been divided by a De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) since the end of a war in 1953.
What is Daoism/Taoism?
A man named Loazi started a belief system in China that "emphasized living in harmony with nature." Followers of this philosophy "seek order and balance in their lives by blending with nature like drops of water in a stream."
What is the Zhou Dynasty?
This Chinese dynasty overthrew the Shang Dynasty and stayed in power for over 800 years. This dynasty also oversaw great social and cultural advances in what marked the beginning of China's classical period.
Who is Buddha?
He was born in Nepal near the border with India over 2500 years ago. His given name was Siddartha Gautama. His religious name means "the enlightened one."
What is The Great Wall of China?
This was built over centuries to stop nomadic tribes from Central Asia from attacking farms, villages and towns.
What is Russia?
More than half of this huge country is in Asia (while the more populated part of it is in Europe.) This country is the northernmost country in Asia.It borders the Arctic Ocean on the north and the Pacific Ocean on the east.
What is Brahman?
This Hindu deity is the creator. He "created the universe, the world and the human race. His four heads represent the four Vedas."
What is the Dynastic Cycle?
The Mandate of Heaven, whereby a king could rule only as long as the gods believed he was worthy was the first step in this rise and fall of Chinese empires.
Who is Shi Huangdi?
This leader of the Qin kingdom ended the "Warring States" period in China when he defeated all the other kingdoms in 221B.C. He would come to call himself the Chinese name for "first emperor."
What are these and whose grave are they "protecting" from evil spirits?
Terra Cotta Soldiers and Shi Huangdi
What is Vietnam?
A long, narrow country in Southeast Asia that had been divided into North and South after gaining independence from France. It was reunited into one country in 1975 after a long war in which the United States was on the losing side.
Ho Chi Minh is considered the father of this country.
What are the Four Noble Truths?
Buddha spent much of his life teaching from this "set of guidelines"
The first one of these is "that all life is suffering." The second is that "all suffering is caused by desire." The third teaches that ending desire ends suffering and the fourth states that by following the Eightfold Path (or the Middle Way) can end suffering.
What is the Qin Kindom?
Around 221 B.C., this kingdom, led by Shi Huangdi, defeated all the other Chinese kingdoms to end the Warring States Period. This kingdom created a new, unified China.
Who is Shah Jahan?
This Mughal emperor commissioned the building of the Taj Majal in Agra, India in honor of his dead wife.
What are the Indus and Ganges River?
This great river starts in the Himalayas in what is present-day Pakistan.
This river also starts in the Himalayas and flows through India and empties into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. It is sacred to Hindus
What is Bhutan?
This tiny Himalayan kingdom has never been colonized by any other country. 75% of its citizens are Buddhist. Its government did not allow Television into this country until 1999.
What are the Analects?
This is a collection of Confucius' ideas, sayings and stories. "They were probably recorded over many years by many people."
What is the Ottoman Empire?
The Moghul Empire was at its strongest during the rule of Shah Jahan in the early-to-mid 1600s.
At the same time, this empire, based in western Asia, was at or near the peak of its power as it controlled large amounts of land in Asia, North Africa and parts of eastern Europe.
What is the Tibetan Plateau?
This geographical feature / area can be found in China just north of the Himalayan mountain range. It is sometimes called "the roof of the world."