2/25/2019 World History 2nd Trimester Study Guide - Google Docs

2nd Trimester Study Guide

Chapter 4

● Legalism: An ethical system which spelled out clear laws and was enforced through a
system of rewards and punishments.
● Confucianism: An ethical system focused on following the moral examples of the
superior by the inferior which was the key to social harmony.
● Ban Zhao: a female writer who would write “Lessons for women” and she wanted to
educate woman to be better prepared for serving her husband.
● Daoism: An ethical system in which government and education was useless and human
harmony with nature was key. There is balance between opposites.
● Vedas: (Hinduism) A collection of poems, hymns, praters, and rituals.
● Upanishads: translates to “sitting down in front of” and refers to dialogue between
teacher & student explaining rituals to reach moksha.
● Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha): A prince born into a family of wealth who sought out to
find the solution to suffering and reached nirvana, or enlightenment.
● Theravada Buddhism: In this version of Buddhism, it is more traditional and focused
immensely on self-effort and the Buddha was viewed only as a wise teacher.
● Mahayana Buddhism: Known as the “Greater Vehicle”, the Buddha was viewed as a
god and emphasized compassion and community through bodhisattvas. This was more
popular.
● Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism): a beloved Hindu text which puts an emphasis on following
your dharma, or duty.
● Bhakti Movement (Hinduism): Intense decoration/adoration and identification with a
particular Hindu god. (VIshnu, Shiva, Krishna)
● Zoroastrianism: A dualistic religion between the gods, Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu,
in a constant struggle for peace and purity.
● Judaism: A monotheistic religion created by the Hebrews where if you devoted and
obeyed Yahweh, you would receive blessings and prosperity.
● Greek Rationalism: Believed humans could make a system of moral and ethical life
based on natural laws. No religion gods here.
● Socrates: A greek philosopher who wrote nothing and criticized Athenian democracy and
questioned logic and assumptions of his students.
● Plato: Authored ‘The Republic’, a design for a good society ruled by guardians (highly
educated people) and led by a philosopher king. Also founded The Academy.
● Aristotle: Student of Plato who wrote about everything and emphasized empirical
observation. He wanted a mixed system of government including: monarchy, aristocracy,
democracy)

● Jesus of Nazareth: A wisdom teacher born into a lower-class family who supported the
poor and bonded with the ‘impure’. He criticized the elite and his miracle work and
teachings lasted for only 3 years. He was killed as a political rebel.

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● Saint Paul: A convert of Christianity and said you didn’t have to follow Jewish rituals to
be part of the faith. He helped Christianity become a worldwide religion with his epistles
(letters).
● Perpetua: North African educated woman was martyred for refusing to renounce
Christianity in a manner usually reserved for the lower class, “condemned to the beasts”.
● Church of the East: Developed a unique liturgy with Jewish influences with chants and
hymns in the lingo, Syriac.

Chapter 5

1. Wang Mang: Landowner and court official who overthrew the emperor (8 AD) and
launched many startling reforms.
- He believed in Confucianism and aimed to create a good govt. with farmers as
the foundation. Private land nationalized and divided among the landless.
- These reforms were impossible to reinforce, opposed by rich landowners,
nomads, poor harvests, floods, famines, assassinated in 23 AD.
2. Scholar-Gentry Class: Refers to the class of landowners with multiple homes, Confucian
educations, & promotions based on literacy.
3. Yellow Turban Rebellion: Started by Daoists looking for equality & social harmony, these
angry & landless peasants were crushed by the Han, after hurting the economy &
speeding up Han decline.
- Due to floods causing poverty and loss of land, peasants began to join together,
(360k) wearing yellow scarves in an uprising.
- These people would find their own leaders, organization, and adopted Daoism.
They wanted “Great Peace”- equality, social harmony, and common ownership of
land.
4. Varnas: The social hierarchy and how society was divided in India.
5. Jatis: Known as subcastes, these occupational groups were localized, dictated who one
could marry or eat with and defined one’s obligations in society.
6. Ritual Purity and Pollution: A set of ideas that explained/justified the caste system.
- If Brahmins came in contact with people of lower caste, they were in danger of
being ritually polluted.
- Untouchables were forbidden from using the same wells or entering the same
temples as those in varnas.
7. 3-Obediences: Refers to a woman’s expected subordination, showing her lowliness,
weakness, industriousness, and responsibility for ancestor worship. Father, husband,
son.
8. Empress Wu: The ONLY woman emperor and consolidated the civil service exams,
patronized the creation of a Chinese character “to be human”, and her reign was brief.
9. Aspasia: Born outside of Athens, she was born to a rich family and was educated. She
found her way to Athens and was unofficially married to Pericles. She was treated as an
equal, who advised Pericles and moved freely through Athens.

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10. Helots: Made up of conquered people and greatly outnumbering the Spartan population,
these slaves provided a great threat to Sparta and so, Sparta was heavily militaristic and
these Helots eventually overthrew Sparta in 369 BC.

Chapter 6

1. Meroe: City in Nubia which was ruled by a monarch and its power came from
long-distance trade. Thrived from 300 BC to 100 AD.
2. Axum: Civilization located in northeast Africa and its agriculture was highly productive
and used a plow-based farming system and gained money through taxing trade.
3. Niger River Civilization: Located in West Africa, rich in agricultural production (pottery)
A dry period would lead to migrations from the Sahara and the migrants brought their
animals, farming skill, and ironworking.
4. Vertical Integration: Ecological zones that families would compete over where a number
of different crops and animals could flourish. [Mesoamerica]
5. Maya Civilization: Located in Guatemala/Yucatan region (Mexico). Never unified, bands
of city-states and regional kingdoms. Started from 2000 BC, but accomplishments date to
between 250-900 AD.
- Complex writing system, chinampas, concept of 0, calendars. Good control over
environment: drained swamps, flattened ridgetops, water-management system.
6. Teotihuacan: Large city north of the Valley of Mexico. Largest urban complex in the
Americas. Writing was limited, had great influence between 300-600 AD.
- Avenues, plazas, markets, drainage systems, murals, temples, pyramids.
7. Chavin: 900-200 BC, located in the Andes of Peru. A small center with 2-3k people and
had distinct elite classes, temple complexes, art influenced by region.
8. Moche: 100-800 AD, located in Peru’s northern coast (13 river valleys). Economy rooted
in a complex irrigation system, fishermen, Governed by warrior-priests/Shaman-rulers.
- Fragile environment, no written texts, exposed to aggressive neighbors, internal
social tensions, replaced by Chimu.
9. Wari and Tiwanaku: Empires located in the Andes that provided political
integration/cultural commonality for the region.
- Both flourished between 400-1000 AD, large urban capitals, collected surplus of
good, established colonies, not direct copies of each other.
10. Bantu Migration: A slow movement of people from West Africa to East and Southern
Africa. The diffusion of culture between many people.
11. Chaco: Encompassed 25k square miles and linked 70 outlying settlements to the main
centers. (Northwest New Mexico)
- Largest town was (“great houses”) Pueblo Bonito, 5-stories high contained 600
rooms and many kivas.
- Growing agri. and increasing population gave rise to larger settlements and
structures called pueblos. The most well known took shape between 860-1130
AD w/ 5 major pueblos.

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12. Mound Builders: Found east of the Mississippi and the earliest mounds date to 4000 BC.
(Hopewell)
13. Hopewell Culture: Striking burial mounds, geometric earthworks, mounds for burial
rituals, loose network of exchange.
14. Cahokia: Developed near St. Louis in a period which development of agriculture allowed
for more complex societies. Major trading network and corn-based agriculture.
15. Pohnpei: Located in Micronesia, it was an impressive urban center which was built from
stone which served as ceremonial, administrative, and a burial center.
16. Tonga Islands: Ruled by the Tu’i Tonga which were the head of a royal court and they
collected and redistributed food to lesser chiefs who passed it down to their followers.
17. Mana and Tapu:
- Mana: Spiritual energy associated w/ chiefs and demonstrated by reat actions or
great success.
- Tapu: ritual restrictions which made someone/something sacred to maintain mana.
18. Yap: Located in Micronesia, parent-child relationship with other lands. Focus on trade of
commodities, permission to fishm and promises of refuge in times of famine. They were
believed to have sorcery and could create storms.

Hinduism
Believed in the ultimate goal of Moksha, union with the world soul or Brahman. This religion was
patriarchal. Hinduism was NOT a missionary religion seeking converts but was associated with
an area or people.
● How to reach Moksha.
1. Your human soul is called atman. It will go through many lifetimes and
reincarnations which is called samsara.
2. Your atman would go from body to body and depended on your actions/dharma
from your previous lifetime which is called karma.
3. If you had a good karma, you would be promoted in a higher caste. If you keep
your good karma up, you would break the cycle of samsara and reach union with
Brahman (the world soul), or Moksha.

● Hinduism had a wide diversity of gods and it was encouraged.

● NO historical founder.
● Vedas: collection of poems, hymns, prayers and rituals compiled by the Brahmin priests
to provide commonality.
- Rig Veda: the most important of these texts. 1,028 verses. Images of the creature
Purusha, who dictates future caste and following your dharma.
● Upanishads: These writings sought to find the inner meanings of the rituals that people
were expected to follow. This translates to “sitting down in front of” and refers to
dialogue between teacher & student explaining rituals to reach moksha
● Life is an ILLUSION.
Changes to Hinduism
● Due to competition with Islam and Buddhism, Hinduism was made more accessible by..

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- Moving away from the rituals and sacrifices of the Brahmin priests.
- The goal was still the SAME.
- New emphasis on dharma/duty through epic poems.

● Bhagavad Gita: Beloved Hindu text (Song of God)

- Mahabharata: longest portion that tells of cousins fighting over territory. The God
Krishna, instructs one of the cousins, Arjuna to fulfill his caste duties without
worrying about his actions on Earth.
Moral: Don’t worry about meditating for peace. Follow your dharma!
- Ramayana: focuses on gender roles. Tells a story about Rama, a husband who is
exiled for 14 years. His wife, Sita stays loyal and remains faithful.
Moral: Unselfish Devotion: wives should subordinate themselves to man.

Completion of dharma -> Good Karma -> Moksha

Buddhism
Life is filled with sorrow and suffering. This came from individual fulfillment, or narcissism. The
ultimate goal was to reach nirvana, or enlightenment by living a moral life with meditation.
● Its founder was Siddhartha Gautama.
- He was prince that lived a very rich life until he encountered suffering. From this
moment on, he sought to find a cure and went on a 6-year journey which led him
to the Bodhi tree. He then under an intense meditation period for 49 days which
ended with enlightenment.
- Great Renunciation: act of severing ties to ordinary life.
- Experiencing life as suffering was normal for human life.

● How to reach Nirvana (4 Noble Truths)

1. Life is filled with sorrow and suffering.
2. Since sorrow and suffering is caused from desire, eliminate desire.
3. Follow the 8-fold path (behavior guide for moral/modest life) to escape samsara.
4. Once you escape, you have reached nirvana.

● Ordinary life is an ILLUSION.

● Buddhism rejected the authority of Brahmin priests and challenged the inequalities of the
caste system. Nirvana could be reached by ALL.
- Individuals were responsible for their own spiritual development and self-effort.

Theravada Buddhism Vs. Mahayana Buddhism.

● Theravada Buddhism: In this version of Buddhism, it is more traditional and focused

immensely on self-effort and the Buddha was viewed only as a wise teacher.
- Not for everyone. Set of practices. Self-effort still. Gods played little role in
reaching nirvana.

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● Mahayana Buddhism: Known as the “Greater Vehicle”, the Buddha was viewed as a
god and emphasized compassion and community through bodhisattvas. This was more
popular.
- There could be multiple Buddhas. You could achieve nirvana through regular
life and in a single lifetime. Great emphasis on compassion.
- Bodhisattvas: someone who delays their own freedom to help someone else in
suffering.
- Someone who is a Bodhisattva could be a Buddha. You could do this also by
religious merit, devotion, and support of a monastery.
- This modern form took root in China, Japan, Korea, S.E. Asia.

Jainism
Focused on individual reflection and meditation. Its key ethical standard was ahimsa, or extreme
non-violence. (Vegetarians, farmers)
● Its founder was Mahavir Jain.
● Drew on ideas from the Upanishads that stated all creatures were part of Brahman.

Zoroastrianism and Judaism

Zoroastrianism
A dualistic religion between the gods, Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, in a constant struggle for
peace and purity. Was not a really large religion.
● This faith would challenge the polytheistic beliefs that came before it.
● These ideas were accepted and received state support by Persia under Darius the
Great which helped immensely.
● Ahura Mazda was the source of truth, light, and goodness.
● Focused on the freewill of humans and the necessity for them to choose between good
and evil.
● Those who were true to Mazda would be reborn into a new body into eternal life in
paradise at the day of judgement.

Judaism
● Judaism was created by the Hebrews/Jews. Their state was split into Israel in the north
and Judah in the south.
● The Hebrews were always controlled by large empires and their communities lived in
uncertainty. Israel was controlled by the Assyrians and its people deported. Judah was
later controlled by the Babylonians and its elite were also deported.
- When controlled under the Assyrians, they lost faith are called the 10 lost tribes.
- When Persia invaded the Babylonians, Cyrus allowed the Jews to rebuild and
return to Jerusalem.
● Over centuries, the Hebrews created a conception of God who they called Yahweh, who
was a powerful and jealous god who demanded their loyalty. Had a contract.

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- If you gave devotion and obedience to him, you would receive prosperity,
blessings, and would be his chosen people and favoring them in war.
- Yahweh was seen as pure and transcendent (mystical). He was a divine person
which people could communicate with.
- Their monotheism was due to prophets making demands to run away from
neighboring (fertility) gods.

● Yahweh was transformed a god of war to one of social justice and compassion. Yahweh
demanded justice and moral righteousness over rituals.
● The world of nature was real and positively valued.
- This tradition gave humanity a role within God’s world. Humans had control over
the earth.
- This meant you could use the world for its resources and animals for self-gain or to
preserve and protect the natural order.

Greek Rationalism

Greek Rationalism: Believed humans could make a system of moral and ethical life based on
natural laws. No religion gods here.
● Many Greek thinkers (Anatolia) used rational thinking for nature. All these thinkers had a
commitment to a rational and non-religious explanation for the material world.
- Thales predicted the eclipse of the sun and that the moon reflected the sun’s light.
He understood water was the basic thing everything comes from.
- Democritus thought atoms were tiny uncuttable particles which collided with each
other to form visible matter.
- Pythagoras believed that beyond our complex world was a world in simple
mathematical order.
- Hippocrates believed that the body was composed of 4 liquids that if they were
out of proper balance, would cause illness. He knew that epilepsy was a natural
cause.
- Herodotus wrote about the Greco-Persian war and explained the cause of the
war was not gods but human reasons.

● Greek rationalism did not make up the entire Greek culture as people still believed
mythological gods as real. Greek rationalism, art, literature, and theater lived long after the
days of Athens concluded.
● Greek Gods remained in the culture but WERE NOT worshipped.
● If someone had rationality...
- They would understand natural laws -> would choose to behave
morally/ethically.

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