Edited by Mr Barkhau Shamelessly Stolen from http
Edited by Mr. Barkhau Shamelessly Stolen from: http: //conaapwh. weebly. com/classpowerpoints. html ASIAN EMPIRES 600 BCE TO 600 CE
CHINESE EMPIRES � From 1100 BCE until the 200 s CE -> 3 great dynasties ruled China � Zhou (JOH) � Qin (CHIN) � Han (HAHN)
THE ENDURING ZHOU � Ruled China for more than 800 years -- more than any other dynasty � Zhou dynasty conquered the Shang dynasty � Claimed rule under Mandate of Heaven � Said Shang lost mandate by ruling poorly
� To control their land, the kings set up an agricultural system in which nobles owned the land & peasants worked it � Each of these lords had total authority over their city & had their own armies � Eventually, the lords had more power than the king � City-states warred with each other -- locked in a struggle that ended the Zhou era
THE ENDURING ZHOU � Technological advances of the Zhou Dynasty: � Built roads & expanded foreign trade � New weapon: the crossbow � Iron plows � Irrigation & floodcontrol systems
THE MIGHTY QIN � Conquered the Zhou � “First Emperor” = Qin Shi Huangdi
� United much of the nation under 1 strong government � Organized the empire into military districts -- 1 official per district � Created a universal system of weights & measures � Standardized coins, created a uniform writing system & set up a law code throughout China � Used forced labor to dig canals & build roads
TERRA COTTA ARMY
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA Built in northern China to prevent attacks from the north � Connected a series of walls that already existed � Took several years & over 300, 000 Chinese peasants � Stretches over 4, 000 miles �
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
QIN’S STRICT RULE � Imposed a tax on landowners � Appointed only educated men as officials to run his government � Censored & burned books � People couldn’t write about the past
� Subjects saw Qin as a cruel tyrant � 210 BCE = Qin died & dynasty soon came to an end � Lasting Legacy = new ways of organizing & unifying the nation
THE GLORIOUS HAN � Ruled China for more than 400 years until 220 AD � Used same forms of centralized power as the Qin, but not as harsh � Rivaled Roman Empire in its power & achievement
THE GLORIOUS HAN � Reached its peak during the reign of Wudi � Extended the empire � Sent armies against nomadic invaders � Interested in the West -especially the Roman Empire
THE GLORIOUS HAN � Trade routes to the West developed � Major trade route = Silk Road � Linked East & West � Allowed traders to exchange Chinese silk for Middle Eastern & European products
PAX SINICA � Chinese Peace = 400 year period of prosperity & stability � China fed its population by storing grain during times of plenty & selling it when harvests were poor
INVENTIONS Silk � Paper � Gunpowder � Wheelbarrow � Printed books � Suspension bridge � Compass � Iron drill bits �
PAX SINICA � Talented, intelligent people were appointed to government jobs -- NOT family � They were given tests to see if they were qualified � Evolved into civil service system = a system that allowed anyone with ability to attain public office --> unfortunately, this usually favored the wealthy because education was expensive � Created a new class of well-educated civil servants = called mandarins � Controlled government until early 1900 s
LEGACY OF THE HAN Han power declined & dynasty fell apart after Wudi’s reign ended � Modern Chinese refer to themselves as Han � Modern day Chinese is written in Han characters �
SOCIAL HIERARCHIES: CHINA AND INDIA
PATRIARCHY IN CHINA Women considered subordinate to men � Hierarchy within the family: � Fathers � Sons (oldest to youngest) � Mothers � Daughters (oldest to youngest) �
� “Men go out, women stay in. ” Men = public and political roles � Women = domestic roles at home � � 3 Obediences: women obedient to first their fathers, then their husbands, then their sons
INFLUENCE OF DAOISM � Yang = superior principle = masculine and related to rulers, heaven, strength, rationality, and light � Yin = inferior principle = feminine and related to subjects, earth, weakness, emotion, and darkness � The yin and yang are permanent and embedded within the universe � Gave justification to the natural superiority of men over women
LOOSENING OF STRICT PATRIARCHY � Collapse of Han Dynasty (400 s CE) � Nomadic people invaded northern China � Their women = far less restricted � This influenced native Chinese women Elite women started to handle legal and business affairs � More women rode horses, played polo, wore men’s clothing, etc. �
CHINESE SOCIAL STRUCTURE Emperor Elite Government Officials Landlord Class (Scholar-Gentry Class) Peasants (90% of population) Merchants
CHINA’S LANDLORD CLASS � Threatened state authority � Avoided paying taxes � Decreased state revenues � Increased tax burden on the peasants � Raised their own militaries � Benefited from: � Wealth they gained from their land � Power and prestige that went with the education they paid for
CHINA’S PEASANT CLASS 90% of the population � Suffered from: famines, floods, droughts, hails, pests, etc. � State authorities demanded that they: � Pay high taxes � Provide one month’s labor every year on public works projects � Serve for 2 years in the military (men only) �
YELLOW TURBAN REBELLION Peasant uprising around 184 CE � In response to floods along Yellow River, resulting epidemics, and general misery & poverty � Wanted a “Great Peace” with social harmony, equality, and common ownership of property � Suppressed --> but weakened the Han dynasty �
CHINA’S PEASANT CLASS � Though oppressed, peasants were still honored in a way because they provided for their country � Backbone of China � Hard-working � Provided food = survival for all
CHINA’S MERCHANT CLASS � At the bottom of society � Seen as unproductive and as profiting off of the hard work of others � Seen as greedy and materialistic � This went against Confucian values
CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA � Similarities with China’s Social System: � Social status determined at birth � Little (if any) social mobility � Sharp class distinctions and great inequalities � Inequalities justified by religious/cultural traditions as natural and inevitable
CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA � “Caste” = comes from Portuguese word casta, which means “race” or “purity of blood” � 4 varnas = ranked classes in the Indian caste system � Each varna had its own duties � Born into and remained in your varna for life
CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA Brahmins = Priests Study & teach the Vedas; perform religious ceremonies to please the gods & ensure welfare of people Kshatriyas = Warriors; Rulers Study the Vedas; lead government; head army Vaisyas = Common people: merchants, artisans, farmers Tend herds, care for land; make & sell useful products Sudras = Native, non-Aryan people = Unskilled laborers, servants Serve other varnas Untouchables = Outside of Caste System Perform tasks considered unclean These 3 classes = regarded as pure Aryans
CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA: FORMED FROM THE BODY OF PURUSHA Kshatriya = from the shoulders Sudras = from the feet Brahmins = from the head Vaisya = from the thighs
THE UNTOUCHABLES � � Outside of the varna system It was believed that if people in higher castes came into contact with the untouchables, then their ritual purity would be “polluted” Untouchables used separate wells, separate bathrooms, separate temples for worship, etc. Many untouchables had to wear wooden clappers to alert others when they were approaching
THE UNTOUCHABLES � Common jobs of the untouchables: � Clean bathrooms � Handle and cremate corpses � Clean and skin dead animals � Butcher animals � Executioners
CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA � Each varna was further divided into sub-castes called jatis � Jatis were typically formed according to occupation --> ex: shoemakers, weavers, etc. � Each jati had its own rules for daily life -- including diet, marriage, and social customs
� People were not allowed to mix with others outside of their jati � Could only eat with others in your jati � Could only marry someone in your jati
� Dharma = the faithful and selfless performance of one’s present caste duties � Karma = determined which caste you would enter at birth � Adhering to dharma and subduing your ego ensured spiritual progress, good karma, and possible birth into a higher caste when reincarnated
INDIA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS
ARYANS Developed a new civilization in modernday India � Located in the Ganges Plain & the Indus River Valley �
WAYS OF LIFE � Loosely organized into tribes of nomadic herders � � Cattle were the basis of their diet & economy � � Each tribe was led by a rajah = chief Also served as money Tribes were often at war; raided each other’s cow herds
� Indus River Valley was ideal for farming --> so people eventually settled down into agricultural communities � People also hunted game; ate bananas & cucumbers � Men dominated the society � Women � Boys didn’t challenge their authority & girls of high rank attended school
MAURYAN EMPIRE � Led by Chandragupta Maurya Strong leader � Developed a postal system � Maintained a strong army � � Located in northern & central India
� Ashoka = Chandragupta’s grandson � � � Indian civilization blossomed under his reign His empire covered 2/3 of the subcontinent Gained this land with fierce wars of conquest & merciless armies After witnessing the horrors of battle, he vowed to never go to war again Followed the teachings of Buddha
ASHOKA � Created laws called the Rock Edicts --> laws were carved on rocks throughout the empire � � Stressed concern for other human beings Set up free hospitals, roads, and rest houses
� Empire declined after Ashoka’s death His successor’s charged heavy taxes � Also took crops from poor workers � People turned against them �
GUPTA EMPIRE Developed 500 years after the Mauryan Empire (around 310 AD) � Started by Chandragupta I � Ruled northern India for more than 200 years � This period is called India’s Golden Age � � � Arts & sciences flourished Maintained authority with trained soldiers, spies, & assassins
Hinduism was the official religion � Built Hindu temples � Temples decorated with brightly painted sculptures of Hindu epic tales �
GUPTA LIFE Empire reached its height under Chandragupta II who gave people more freedom � However, status of women declined � Parents chose husbands/wives for their children � Child marriages were common �
Court welcomed poets, playwrights, philosophers, and scientists � Learning & education promoted � Writing focused on religion & folktales �
GUPTA ACHIEVEMENTS � Made advances in mathematics --> mostly algebra Invented concept of zero � Explained concept of infinity � Created Arabic Numerals (#s 1 -9) �
� Astronomy Said the Earth was round � Had some knowledge of gravity � � Medicine � Set bones, performed surgery, invented instruments
END OF THE GUPTA EMPIRE Empire failed after Chandragupta II’s death in 415 CE � As government weakened, the empire faced invasions �
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