Hinduism/Buddhism/Jainism
What were the 2 main Hindu texts and what were they about?
Vedas: Oldest religious writings about Hinduism
Written in Sanskrit, then spread
Upanishads: Teacher and student have a conversation about how a person can achieve freedom from suffering
Moksha: state of perfect understanding
Atman: individual soul vs. Brahman: world soul that unites all individual souls
Who was the first leader of the Mauryan Empire and what did he do?
Chandragupta Maurya, 324-301 BC
Unified northern India
Defeated the Macedonians
Strong and Effective Leader: Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement.
Secret police
Converted to Jainism later in life
Who was the first leader of the Gupta Empire, what did he do, and what was the capital of this empire?
First leader: Chandra Gupta
Alliances with local leaders
Capital: Pataliputra
What was the Cyrus Cylinder?
A baked clay cylinder inscribed with a proclamation by the Persian king Cyrus the Great, declaring his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC
What did Cambyses do?
What are the 5 main Hinduism terms and ideas
Reincarnation: Rebirth - individual spirit born again and again until Moksha reached
Reincarnation can change your caste in the caste system
Moksha: Release from cycle of reincarnation (samsara due to good karma)
Karma: Good and bad deeds, follows an individual spirit through reincarnation. These deeds result in future consequences
Dharma: The Path of Rightness; duty, morality, social obligation
Nature: connection to the Ganges River
What kind of government did the Mauryan Empire have, what was their capital, and what were their views on religion?
Centralized government, divided by provinces who are run by kings’ appointed governors
Capital: Pataliputra
Religious freedom and respect for Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism
Who did the Gupta Empire trade with?
China, SE Asia, Mediterranean
Controlled by Gupta rulers with silver and gold mines
Who was the first ruler of the Persians and what did he do?
Cyrus the Great: 559-530 BC
Conquered Babylon
Allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem
Seen as high quality leader
Merciful
Appointed Persians and natives as government officials
King not all powerful
Like Assyrians
Used Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian designs in architecture and politics
Big palaces
Impact of Hammurabi’s Code from Babylonians
Died while in battle against nomadic warriors, buried in a tomb at Cyrus’ palace
What were qanats?
Underground canals that distributed water to fields; built by free residents mostly
What are the basics of Buddhism?
No concept of God
Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (500 BCE)
Originated in India, spread across Asia
Through the Silk Road
Leadership: Buddhist monks
No caste system
The Middle Way: importance of moderation
Four Noble Truths; suffering and such
Noble Eightfold Path; right beliefs, right speech, etc.
Who was Asoka and what did he do?
Asoka, 268-232 BC
Spread of Buddhism
Hospitals, trees and shelters for travelers, trade to Mediterranean Sea and Southwest Asia
Stone pillars marking the Buddha’s life
Construction of pillars, stupas (burial mounds), rock chambers (Buddhist)
Rock edicts: laws based on Buddhism
What advancements were made during the Gupta Empire?
Golden Age
Hindu and Buddhist arts
Science, math, literature: Earth’s circumference, solar calendar, algebra, Sanskrit and Hindu texts
Medicinal achievements: healing plants, classification of diseases, plastic surgery
Lasting relevance: Classical Empire
Concept of zero and pi
Who was Darius and what did he do?
Darius: 521-486 BC
Conquered land near India, Europe (Greece)
Capital: Persepolis
Allowed Jews to rebuild Holy Temple
Standardized coins and tax system
20 provinces: satrapy
Satrap: protector of the kingdom
Collected taxes, provided justice, recruited soldiers
Royal Road
Way stations with food, shelter, fresh horses
Trade and royal communication
Eventually part of Silk Road
All subject king’s servants
Standing army of 20,000 soldiers
Immortals: dead immediately replaced
What goods did Persia produce?
Barley, wheat, peas, pomegranates, apricots, beer, wine
Who were the two major figures for Buddhism and what did they do?
Siddhartha Gautama: Later known as the Buddha
Cure from human suffering: freedom from desires
Importance of morality: more good deeds, fewer bad deeds
Meditation → Enlightenment (understanding) (Nirvana)
Asoka: As Mauryan Empire ruler (250 BCE), helped Buddhism spread across Asia, especially to Japan
How did the Mauryan Empire end?
183 BC: last leader killed, India in disunity
Government workers paid too much money
Why did the Gupta Empire decline?
Collapsed due to invasions from nomadic Huns
No united Indian empire until 1600s
Why did the Persian Empire decline?
Decline
Post Darius: Xerxes: cruel leader, crushed rebellions
Kings raised taxes, became too accustomed to luxury
Polygamy → civil wars between sons to get throne
Native Greeks protest against rule, beat Persians at battles of Marathon and Thermopylae - Greco-Persian War
Conquered by Alexander the Great of Macedonia
What was Zoroastrianism and what were its beliefs?
Zoroaster: prophet born in 628 BC
Official religion of the Persian Empire
Monotheistic
Ahuramazda: supreme god, creator
Beginning of world: opposed by Ahriman (evil spirit)
Not focused on conversion
Choice between right and wrong, good and evil
Paradise vs. abyss of misery and torment
Enjoy the world in moderation with correct behavior
Temples destroyed by Alexander the Great
Belief: god responsible for all creation; forces of good prevail; people strive to achieve highest moral standard; judgment
Influenced Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Discouraged slavery
Slavery used mostly for domestic work in the Persian Empire
Slaves: conquered peoples
What are the basics of Jainism?
Ahimsa: nonviolence and compassion
Reincarnation dependent on karma
Soul ever-changing
Caste system not important - focus on individuals and self-improvement
What empire did the Gupta Empire conquer and what were they like?
Kushan Empire
Nomadic warriors take charge
Importance of trade
Silk Road
Indian Ocean trade
Greek traditions
Zoroastrianism
Alphabet
Calendar
What did trade look like in the Persian Empire?
Trade: Royal Road, sea (Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea)
India: gold, ivory, spices
Central Asia: precious stones
Mesopotamia: textiles, glass
Turkey: gold, silver
Phoenicians: glass, timber, dyed fabrics
Egypt: gold, papyrus, grain
What was the social structure like in Persia?
Most people: free classes with fewer privileges: artisans, merchants, female textile weavers, farmers
Slaves: prisoners of war, subjects in debt, rebellers
Used for domestic labor - slaves not used heavily