Cultures of

Persia, India an China

SOL 4

Persia developed the worlds

largest empire at that time.

Persia governed the large empire with

Tolerance of conquered
peoples

Development of
imperial bureaucracy
(governors satraps)

Persia Governed
the large empire
with

Zoroastrianism as a
religion

Road system (Royal

Road)

India
Began in the Indus River Valley and spread to the

Ganges River Valley, then through the Indian

subcontinent.

Indias physical barriers

India is a subcontinent
Physical barriers made invasion

more difficult:
Mountains - Himalayas and Hindu Kush
Indian Ocean

Invaders got in through mountain

passes.
Important rivers: Indus and
Ganges

Caste System
Indo-Aryans invaded India and started the caste

system.
Caste system was hereditary controlled jobs, who
you could marry, etc.

Brahmin
Kshatriya
Vaishya
Shudra

Mauryan Dynasty
Political unification of much of India under

their leader, Asoka

Contributions included:
Spread

of Buddhism
Free hospitals
Vet Clinics
Good roads

Gupta Dynasty
Golden age of classical Indian culture
Contributions included:
Mathematics
New

textiles
Literature

Hinduism
Began in India still in India today
Belief in many forms of one major deity (god)
Reincarnation: cycles of rebirth
Karma
Holy books
Vedas and Upanishads

Buddhism
Began by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) in India.
Asoka and other missionaries spread Buddhism into

China.

The Chinese form

of Buddhism spread
into other parts
of Asia.

Buddhism
Four Noble Truths (life is suffering, etc.)
Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

China
Classical China (~1500 B.C.) was centered on the

Huang He (Yellow River) and was geographically

isolated.

China
Invaders entered China from the North.
The Great Wall was built

by Qin Shi Huangdi as a

line of defense against
invasions.

Political Structure in China

China was governed by dynasties.
Chinese rulers were considered divine, but they served

under a Mandate of Heaven only as long as their rule was

just.
1. New Ruler Gains the
Mandate of Heaven Dynasty begins

4. Period of Rebellion
Ruler loses the
Mandate of Heaven

2. Period of Great
Power and Prosperity Golden Age

3. Period of Decline and

Corruption

Contributions of China
Silk Roads facilitated trade and contact between

China and other cultures as far away as Rome.

Paper
Porcelain
Silk

Contributions of China
Civil Service Exams (tests for qualified workers)
Confucianism
Taoism

Confucianism
Belief that humans are good, not bad
Respect for elders
Code of politeness, still used in Chinese society today
Emphasis on education
Ancestor worship

Taoism
Humility
Simple life and inner peace
Harmony with nature

Yin/Yang represented opposites

for Confucianism and Taoism.