South Asia
South Asia is the region below the Hindu Kush mountains and Himalayas. This region, dominated by the modern-state of India, claims one of the world’s oldest faiths and a tradition of regional trade.
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Post-Classical South Asia
Social | The Hindu caste system created a hierarchy of power that was both religious and inherited. Hindus, born into a caste, typically had to remain in that caste until their death and hopeful reincarnation. This promoted stability, though it also allowed for the stagnation that emerges when there is no competition for power. Generally, a woman within the Hindu caste system had more in common with men of her caste than women in other castes. As Islam spread to the region, social roles became more gendered. |
Political | Since the fall of the Mauryan and Gupta Empires, South Asia has broken into various kingdoms. Various Hindu Rajput Kingdoms emerged in northern India, keeping a centralized power from emerging for hundreds of years. They competed with each other, allowing for Islamic armies to start to expand into Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Delhi Sultanate emerged from this expansion as a powerful kingdom for nearly 300 years. United by Islam and funded by the Silk Road, the Delhi Sultans were able to hold back the Mongol expansion into South Asia. |
Cultural | Though still predominantly Hindu, South Asia’s development was largely impacted by Buddhism and Islam. Hinduism is a polytheistic faith that is probably best known because of its belief in samsara, or reincarnation. The vast majority of Indians are Hindu. However, unlike many polytheistic faiths, Hinduism is very decentralized. Islam, spreading from the Middle East, is a monotheistic faith that is more cohesive since it blended political leadership with religion. By 1450, Islam has spread to northern India and helped the Delhi Sultanate create a stable regional empire. South Asia has seen many world religions because of positioning on both land and water-based trade routes. |
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia consists of modern nations like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. This region has developed within a mountainous and jungle environment, making a large empire impossible. The people of Southeast Asia have been heavily influenced by China to the north and the trade with the west within the Indian Ocean Trade Network.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia
Before the modern-states of Southeast Asia, there were various empires, both land-based and sea-based, that helped unite the people politically, economically, and religiously.
The Khmer Empire was a powerful state in Southeast Asia, formed by people of the same name, lasting from 802 CE to 1431 CE. At its peak, the land-based empire covered much of what today is Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. Its capital, Angkor Wat, was originally a Hindu temple, developed over time into a vast Buddhist temple.
The Srivijaya Empire was a Indonesian Hindu empire based on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important center for trade between China and India as well as for the expansion of Buddhism from the 8th to the 12th century.
The Majapahit Kingdom was a smaller Javan Buddhist kingdom that controlled the shipping lane leading to and from the Strait of Malacca.
Southeast Asia benefited economically from the Indian Ocean Trade Network, while it also became very diverse. Islamic merchants and Sufi (mystical sect of Sunni Muslims) missionaries brought their faith to Indonesia, making it the most populated Islamic nation in the world today. This trade network and the missionaries traveling with it is one of the most important factors in the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia.
key questions
- What makes Southeast Asia a distinct region?
- What were the key factors shaping Southeast Asia
- How did world religions spread in Southeast Asian societies?
- How did Southeast Asian states develop and maintain power?
- How was Southeast Asia a part of "Global Middle Ages?"
Try using a study timer like the one in Fiveable rooms to maximize your efficiency when preparing for the exam!
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The contents of this chapter are vital to your complete understanding of world history. Digest this one well! Victoria Wren 27/10/2012 04:55:00 1st margin question! *yeah!* -Legalism (dependence of
moral law) Binham 27/10/2012 08:49:40 Good for you Victoria! I'm glad to see you being active on this forum. You answer is correct, but perhaps a bit incomplete for the purpose of really understanding this chapter. I would add that these systems arose in the Warring States period. I would also mention that legalism was a kind of pessimistic view of people that assumes they're kind of dumb - that's kind of important when you see periods when Chinese rulers and bureaucrats followed that philosophy. People who followed this philosophy felt that only the people in charge could make wise decisions about society and that people have to be controlled using rewards and punishments. You can really see this today when the Chinese government does some pretty severe stuff to their own citizens. Confucius assumed that since society is made up of unequal relationships, even within the family (makes you think about paleolithic egalitarianism) that the superiors have a responsibility to be sincere, compassionate and genuinely care about people. If that happens, then the "inferior" will be motivated to be loyal and obedient. I'm not sure I agree that Daoism is the opposite of Confucianism, just based on different assumptions. The Dao/the way is based on nature. People screw up when they act in ways contrary to nature and make themselves unhappy. You can do that by withdrawing from political and social causes, stop striving to "get ahead" and live simply. Victoria Wren 27/10/2012 04:55:29 2nd margin question -He emphasized education as key to moral betterment (prescribed
a broad liberal arts education) Bingham 27/10/2012 08:55:36 Yeah, it's clearly practical and about this world, not the next. I sort of like the notion that we have the goodness in us already, it simply needs to be nurtured by self reflection (Socrates says the unexamined life is not worth living!), education (I do my best) and striving to improve one's moral character (boy, I'm really trying!). Victoria Wren 27/10/2012 04:56:02 3rd margin question -thought of education and earnest striving as artificial and useless Bingham 27/10/2012 08:57:35 Looks good to me! Kat M 28/10/2012 07:41:30 I just wanted to add on that Daoism promoted spontaneous, individualistic and natural behavior. It also included magic, fortunetelling, and the search for immortality. Victoria Wren 27/10/2012 04:56:45 You probably noticed that this was from last week when I almost read the wrong chapter. Hope they really are good answers. Jeremiah Pratt 27/10/2012 04:59:52 Okay so my Saturday this week is actually free! Time to get this thing of the ground, woohoo! What different answers to the problem of disorder arose in classical China? Okay the answer is literally the section headings. I'll just summarize them. •Legalism •Confucianism •Daoism Yay history! Jeremiah Pratt 27/10/2012 05:01:29 As this answer took me a while, when I started Victoria had not yet posted her answer. I hope that my summaries are helpful. Bingham 27/10/2012 08:59:31 Looks like all three of us were doing the same thing at the same time. Well, be left a pretty good trail for everyone else on these questions! I'm going to go tackle the big picture questions, you guys are doing great on these. Victoria Wren 27/10/2012 09:21:55 Well I need to eat XP Jordan Janis 27/10/2012 05:54:42 5th Margin Question Buddhism had a historical and distinct founder, Hinduism did not. Buddhism doesn't discriminate people into certain castes. Buddhism doesn't emphasize any sacred texts. Buddhism rejected authority of the Brahmins. They both, however, had concepts of ordinary life being an illusion, karma, rebirth, and meditation. I'm probably missing some things so feel free to add on! Jeremiah Pratt 27/10/2012 07:57:55 Along with the idea of rebirth came the idea of final release- nirvana for buddhism and moksha for hinduism. Bingham 27/10/2012 09:07:24 Glad to see you here Jordan! I would point out that this is a T-chart kind of question, if that's the way your brain works: Reflect Hindu/Challenge Hindu - see what I mean? I think it's important to note here that the challenging of the authority of the Brahmins, and the caste system in general, it kind of a big deal. Remember, one of the main reasons for the short life of the Maurya, and later Gupta empire, was the strength of that system. This is just one way you are going to see this chapter resonate through the rest of this course. Nicole Vickers 29/10/2012 14:47:56 Also, much of Buddha's teachings reflected the Hindu traditions from which it sprang Daniel Caranci 10/10/2014 06:11:33 Buddhism reflected Hindu traditions in the idea that ordinary life is an illusion. Both religions had concepts of karma and rebirth, overcoming one’s ego, the practice of meditation, and hope to free one’s self from the eternal cycle of rebirth. However, Buddhism also challenged some aspects of the Hinduistic religion. Buddha rejected the religious authority of the Brahmins and ridiculed their rituals and sacrifices. Nor did Buddha show interest in stories about the creation of the world or the existence of God, and declared them irrelevant in the mission to achieve nirvana. Buddha also challenged the Hindu-based caste system, and argued that one’s caste position nor gender was a barrier to enlightenment. Jeremiah Pratt 27/10/2012 07:54:56 4th mq! In what ways did the religious traditions of South Asia change over the centuries? •Earliest sacred texts called Vedas, first transmitted orally
and then reduced to writing. They talk of competing kingdoms, of gods, and of rituals. Eventually, these rituals generated alot of criticism for their mechanical appearance and the fees the priests charged. If this question is meant to encompass more than just Hinduism, please let me know Bingham. Bingham 27/10/2012 09:10:51 Notice we have two very similar words in this chapter: Brahman/Brahmin - you used it correctly, but this could be a source of confusion, I mined the glossary and put one up for this chapter on the "Classical" page. I did it last week too, but I didn't hear from anyone that it helped. I think it would for this chapter. Bingham 27/10/2012 09:14:39 No, this is good, and you're right, it's difficult to see what Strayer was expecting you to pick up on here. Just to be safe, I'll answer it differently from a more macro point of view. It's difficult and dangerous to generalize, but it seems there was a general evolution away from a religion based on external sacrifice and ritual to one of philosophical speculation, and then to one of devotional worship and detached action in the world. Bingham 27/10/2012 09:22:51 I was thinking about showing you guys the Micheal Woods episode on the Buddha and Asoka this week. What do you think? Jeremiah Pratt 27/10/2012 11:24:05 Sounds awesome. Kat M 28/10/2012 09:33:08 Yeaahhh I'm all for Jordan Janis 28/10/2012 12:04:35 Yeah that'd be cool. Bingham 27/10/2012 09:26:10 Big Pic 1 “Religions are fundamentally alike.” Does the material in this chapter support or undermine this idea? In support of the thesis that religions are fundamentally alike, you could mention influences like that of Zoroastrianism on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam or the influence of Judaism on Christianity and Islam. To emphasize differences, you could point to differences even within cultural traditions, such as the beliefs that separate the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Jeremiah Pratt 29/10/2012 12:14:29 My test question detector is beeping... Bingham 29/10/2012 12:45:30 Hmmm. Not a reading check certainly, but an open ended question? Perhaps young grasshopper! Jeremiah Pratt 30/10/2012 15:32:13 I think that should be my new nickname Amanda Friefeld 28/10/2012 07:33:07 Hey to whoever is out there! Well, I was reading and came across the margin question: What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenge of Buddism? And I wanted to know if someone could help me break it down so I can understand what it is asking. Any help would be awesome. Kat M 28/10/2012 07:49:24 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he's asking what is new in Hinduism as it responds to the challenges of Buddhism. I think those are the same challenges he's referring to in the question about Buddhism reflecting Hinduism and challenging Hinduism. I think the main idea is just to take mention of what is new. Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 08:05:14 What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenge of Buddhism? •expressed in epic poems, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana this isn't probably the full answer, but this is all I came up with (so far!) :3 Amanda Friefeld 28/10/2012 10:51:31 ah, that makes sense, thanks! Joelyn Villame 28/10/2012 15:10:17 This was meant to add on the what Victoria had. (Not sure if it's correct, but just giving it a shot!) -Ordinary
people, not just Brahmins, could make spiritual progress by selflessly performing the ordinary duties of their lives Yes? No? Maybe so? Christina Hong 28/10/2012 16:56:52 *Budda also incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as the ninth incarnation of Vishnu Christina Hong 28/10/2012 17:04:25 whoops, meant Buddha Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 07:34:10 In what ways did Buddhism reflect Hindu traditions, and in what ways did it challenge them? Reflect Kat M 28/10/2012 07:57:49 Some add ons: Challenge I was a bit confused on your placement of the Indian patriarchy so I'm just going to go ahead and share what I have Reflect Challenge Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 07:54:16 What is the difference between the Theravada and Mahayana expressions of Buddhism? Theravada (the Teaching of the Elders)/ early version of the new religion
Mahayana (Great Vehicle)/ modified form of Buddhism of the Common Era Kat M 28/10/2012 08:29:41 Wooops that question took me a few minutes so I didn't know it had already been answered. I probably should have also added on what each of the names mean. Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 08:51:44 'S okay, and thanks for the add ons for the reflects and challenges mq Kat M 28/10/2012 08:02:38 What is the difference between the Theravada and the Mahayana expressions of Buddhism?
Theravada Mahayana Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 08:44:53 What aspects of Zoroastrianism and Judaism subsequently found a place in Christianity and Islam? Zoroastrianism Judaism Joelyn Villame 29/10/2012 12:27:52
•Zoroastrian: •Judaism: That's what I got. Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 09:01:15 What was distinctive about the Jewish religious tradition? (just the last part of the mq before this one plus a bit more) •Developed among the Hebrews, recorded in the Old Testament Steffannie Alter 28/10/2012 15:01:12 I think that something else that Strayer mentioned was distinctive about Judaism is that their god was seen as separate from nature and was engaged in history, so unless I'm mistaken, that would apply to this category as well. Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 09:02:25 Hey, if anyone reads these, PLEASE correct or add anything if needed. (especially you picky people!) thanks ;D Bingham 28/10/2012 10:56:57 You go girls! Amanda Friefeld 28/10/2012 11:23:43 MQ: uh i lost count... 11 ? After Death: Alright, thats what i found... Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 12:24:22 Don't forget the differences between the two -Jesus inherited from his Jewish tradition an intense devotion to a single personal deity -Jesus' teachings had a sharper social and political edge than did those of Buddha -Jesus' public life lasted less than three years, Buddha more than forty years -Jesus was crucified as a common criminal Steffannie Alter 28/10/2012 14:57:53 Correct me if I'm wrong, but another difference in their lives would be that Jesus was born into a lower-class family and advocated more for the rights of the poor and oppressed while the Buddha was born into royalty, I believe. Victoria Wren 28/10/2012 12:57:22 In what ways was Christianity transformed in the five centuries following the death of Jesus? -began with Saint Paul hope that's enough for the LAST MQ! Steffannie Alter 28/10/2012 14:55:09 Would the split between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism forms of Christianity that Strayer mentions fall under this category as well? Claudia Heymach 30/10/2012 14:39:20 I agree with Steffannie- I would include the split. Also, I don't know if these are all relevant, or if they are everything, but this is what I got! Christina Hong 29/10/2012 10:34:22 I took the self-test just now and after submitting my answers, I noticed that the my answer choice was correct, but the explanation that was provided contradicted what I selected. 2. All EXCEPT which of the following statements is true of the religious and philosophical traditions that developed in Eurasia in the centuries surrounding 500 b.c.e.? 1 out of 1 I'm pretty sure the answer is still b, but I just want to confirm. Is this correct?
Steffannie Alter 29/10/2012 11:26:33 Hmmm, that's odd- that's not what it said to me when I took it. It told me that yes, B is correct, because some still participated in ritual sacrifices and therefore didn't place higher value on humankind. Christina Hong 29/10/2012 13:00:36 Strange, I got the same thing when I tried retaking it. I'm pretty sure I was reading the correct question, too. Christina Hong 29/10/2012 13:28:40 What you got, I mean Jeremiah Pratt 29/10/2012 13:17:06 I want to take a stab at one that hasn't yet been answered, because I'm pretty sure it can be summed up in just a couple of sentences but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that might come later. What are the distinctive features of the Greek intellectual tradition? The greeks emphasized argument, logic, and relentless questioning of wisdom. They had confidence in hman reason, and they puzzled out the world while using little reference to the gods. Nik Liebster 29/10/2012 14:27:59 I feel a lack of testosterone. So, because I believe most if not all Margin Questions have been answered, I will answer the second Big Picture Question. 2. Is a secular outlook on the world essentially a modern phenomenon, or does it have precedents in the classical era? It most certainly is not a modern idea in the slightest. Legalism, Confucianism, origional Buddhism, and Greek Rationalism all had little or no emphasis on religious figures. Harris (BigDaddy) Cobb 30/10/2012 02:34:30 Ok this helps me to better comprehend chapters, by relating ideas from that or previous chapters (and/or something else) So hopefully this will help at least one person (not including myself). Jeremiah Pratt 30/10/2012 15:41:06 I would just like to comment a little about part 1 of your answer. I guess I could see how this could help you study (sort of) but I want to make sure that other people, and you, are clear that while Confucianism has that single quality that bridges imperialism and democracy, it is important to realize that 1: Confucianism is a belief system that, while mentioning government, is not specifically a government. 2: Greek city-states were in Greece, while Confucianism is a Chinese idea. So while it's interesting to see that combination of ideas, it's also important to make the distinction between their correct geographic areas and also their SPICE categories. Finally, 3: While I can see how Confucianism respected the government and emphasized good government, I don't think that it specifically states anywhere that Confucianism had anything to do with democracy. Okay wait, one more thing 4: I don't see how the caste system directly relates to the concept of greek city states. I'm not trying to be critical, but I do want to ensure that the information that is being absorbed is taken in properly. Maybe I'm totally misunderstanding your point. But I also want to make sure that other people who read this post understand. Harris (BigDaddy) Cobb 30/10/2012 02:43:48 I just realized how much sense Giovanni's other blog idea makes, mainly because I think there should be "sub-blogs" like for instance there could be Chapter 5 then within that be further subdivisions like Chinese Philosophy, Greek Philosophy, Polytheistic Religions, Monotheistic Religions or something like that just to make things easier to manage, because it is hard to find a particular comment among 50 other comments. Just sayin... and idk if it is possible to do that on this website or Giovanni's blog, but that is just my suggestion Harris (BigDaddy) Cobb 30/10/2012 16:45:31 Well I wasn't really saying the caste system was a democracy I just meant that they where opposed to imperialism (moreso really in Greece) and I really wasn't trying to imply that these geographically separate ideas where dependent on each other only that they reflected similarities in each other (and ya I know I have difficulty with conveying what I really am trying to say) also I totally didn't think about SPICE Bingham 31/10/2012 12:30:33 Jesus and Buddha: lifetimes, changed image after death, legacies. Christina Hong 31/10/2012 14:11:43 Thank yoooh. Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 12:57:21 Er mer gerd! thanks much *even though you said "Jesus and Buddha 50 times in class" Patrick Song 31/10/2012 13:02:43 Out of curiosity, does the first big pic question count as an "analyze/explain" question?
Bingham 31/10/2012 13:16:46 Point taken. But then, I gave away a question here last week and people still got it wrong, so there you go. Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 13:07:22 Aish, Patrick, so babo XD
patrick s. 31/10/2012 13:08:34 so... babo? o-o Bingham 31/10/2012 13:18:54 Victoria is obviously on her game these days, so you should probably listen to her. Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 13:20:15 I wish that was true, but it's memorizing that gets me down :( Patrick 31/10/2012 13:31:52 Would it be wise to assume a question like "What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenge of Buddhism" or "In what ways did the religious traditions of South Asia change over the centuries?" would be one the test? Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 13:33:42 Probably 'What new emphases characterized Hinduism..." because its an analyzing question XD idk, maybe Patrick Song 31/10/2012 13:38:31 I was thinking that too but the second one also has test worthy potential. But idk I haven't been able to think straight since all-state XP Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 13:41:21 You have a point, but I have a better one, they are all test worthy questions XP Bingham 31/10/2012 13:41:27 Kind of an obvious question Patrick, but I'll cut you some slack since you're new to the alternate universe of Bingham where people actually think. I would say your second question is on the mark. Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 13:48:29 Oh wow, but not so surprising, THANX! Patrick S. 31/10/2012 14:00:03 ouch... that actually hurt.............. >.> Patrick 31/10/2012 14:01:59 On my defense even Victoria thought it was the other question XD Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 14:03:38 Okay! here are the questions that MAY BE on the test. Patrick 31/10/2012 14:08:39 I was thinking that instead of your 3rd bullet it would be "What different answers to
the problem of disorder arose in classical China" Victoria Wren 31/10/2012 14:08:19 OH! maybe the first mq "What different answers to the problem of disorder arose in classical China?" Patrick S. 31/10/2012 14:11:47 lol we probably posted it at the exact same time XD Christina Hong 31/10/2012 15:36:30 I literally just found this. I looked and I couldn't find anyone else who has mentioned this yet, but if you have, I'm really sorry! I'll just post down here instead of replying, since people probably won't see it amongst the 83 other comments. But another similarity between Jesus and Buddha they both originally intended to reform religions, rather than found new ones. For Buddha, it was Hinduism and for Jesus, it was Judaism. Crowder, Shylah 31/10/2012 19:40:21 So I know it's very last minute, but I'm going to try to practice answering a BPQ. And if anyone ends up reading this, feel free to tell me if it is completely wrong. 3. "Religion is a double-edged sword, both supporting and undermining political authority and social elites." How would you support both sides of this statement? Jesus and Buddha work as a good example for this. Jesus was seen by the political figures as someone with a very threatening religion. Because Christianity worships a jealous and powerful god that wants full devotion towards only the one god, Christians were tagged as atheists because they denied all other gods. This "atheism" can be seen as a threat to the people's ways of life, so the authorities ended up crucifying Jesus. Buddha however was less threatening. Focusing on trying to achieve enlightenment rather than trying to please one specific god can be beneficial for the authorities, for this religion was seen as tolerant and would cause less arguments and confrontations. Similarly with Socrates, he tried to tell everyone that they knew nothing so that they could be contempt, but this idea was not so easily acceptable, so the authorities had him drink hemlock so that he would stop spreading knowledge that may anger people and cause upsets. However, when religions are commonly accepted, people are easier to handle and easier to connect with. I think I might have started rambling, but there's my attempt. Jeremiah Pratt 4/11/2012 13:28:33 This is a useless post on a dead thread. Happy cakeday, somebody. Christina Hong 4/11/2012 14:03:28 I just had to click this again when I saw that someone had created an 86th post. :[ ] Wow.... This has been so helpful. I'm a freshman taking AP World History, and let me thank you all for your kind (but unintentional) contribution to studying! anonymous 11/9/2019 23:43:01 Trauma is natures best teacher. This is something Mr. Bingham knows very well Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply. | AuthorBingham: This forum is for us to engage with each other publicly about where we are struggling with the coursework and to offer each other solutions for what works for us. Categories All
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