Ancient Asia

Unit Review Sheet

Facts and Definitions

Lesson 1: The Caste System of Ancient India

• The two early civilizations of the ancient Indus River Valley were the Harappans and the Aryans.
• Hinduism is the main religion of India and a faith with ancient origins.
• Reincarnation is the idea that a person is reborn in a new body after he or she dies. Reincarnation is a basic principle of the Hindu religion. The form someone takes when reincarnated is thought to be dependent on karma, the sum of all the good and bad that one has done in the world.
• Dharma is a set of social and religious duties that one must fulfill according to the Hindu faith in order to achieve liberation, breaking the cycle of reincarnation.
• The ancient Indian social class system is called the caste system or varnas. Castes included the Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras. Dasas or Untouchables were considered outside the caste system.
• Buddhism is a religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in the sixth century B.C. Buddhism rejected the caste system of the Brahman priests and taught that people could achieve enlightenment or nirvana (a state of bliss) by following the Eightfold Noble Path.

Lesson 2: Life and Culture in Ancient India

• Sudras were members of the fourth and lowest ranking caste of ancient Indian society.
• Srenis were guilds of ancient Indian artisans.
• Outcastes or dasas were the lowest-ranking people in the structure of ancient Indian society. They were considered to be outside of the caste system.
• Most ancient Indian literature was written in Sanskrit.
• Vedas are collections of Hindu scriptures.

Lesson 3: Life in Ancient China

• A dynasty is a ruling family that passes down power from one generation to the next.
• The Chinese philosopher Confucius was born in 551 B.C. His writings taught that order and morality were essential, and he emphasized the family.
• Lao Zi is thought by some to have written the influential text of the Tao Te Ching, which emphasized nature and the value of living a simple life.
• Buddhism came to China in the first century A.D. and began to spread in China after the end of the Han dynasty.
• Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi's tomb included thousands of terra-cotta warriors.
• Chinese artisans worked with pottery, bronze, lacquer, and silk to make beautiful objects.

Lesson 4: Culture in Ancient China

• The Silk Road was the trading route that ran from Changan through central Asia to the Mediterranean Sea.
• Luxury goods were most often traded on the Silk Road — Chinese silk was often traded for gold, although China imported and exported other luxury items as well.
• Many Chinese inventions — including wheelbarrows, compasses, stirrups, and paper — eventually spread to other parts of the world.
• The invention of printing allowed Chinese writing to be reproduced easily, making literature available to a much larger group of people than ever before.

Lesson 5: Life in Ancient Japan

• People first settled on the islands of Japan 30,000 years ago.
• Early in Japan's history, clans of warriors controlled regions of Japan.
• In 250 A.D., the Yamatai clan conquered many other clans and became known as the Yamato — eventually they ruled most of Japan.
• A shogun was a general who was allowed unlimited authority to keep the peace in Japan. The shogun held tremendous power.
• Ancient Japanese merchants traded with merchants from China and Korea.

Lesson 6: Culture in Ancient Japan

• Shinto was the first religion practiced in Japan.
• Eventually, Buddhism and Confucianism came to Japan from China.
• Chinese writing came to Japan in 500 A.D.
• Origami is the art of paper folding and it has been practiced in Japan for over 1,500 years.
• Samurai were Japanese warriors who trained from a very early age.

Final Project: Puppet Show or Presentation

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