Download Unit 2:The Classical Period (600 BCE

Unit 2:The Classical
Period (600 BCE-600 CE)
By Kevin Kreutzer, Bryant Winters,
and Max Kelly
Interactions with the Environment
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The Silk Road
Indian Ocean trade
Road systems
Great Wall of China
Saharan caravans
Issues of Civilizations
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Conflict diverse groups
Corrupt leaders
Rebellions
Religious diversity
Life Changes
● Improved agriculture
● New Religions
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Buddhism and Christianity
● Advanced government
o
Centralized government
● New philosophies
o
Greek philosophies
Development of Cultures
● Hinduism and the caste
system
● Confucianism
● Daoism
● Christianity
● Greek philosophers
Collapse of the Roman Empire
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Political unrest
Germanic Invaders
Western Europe fell
East remained: now
called the Byzantine
Empire
State building expansion and conflict
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Rome
Han/Qin China
Mauryan/Gupta
Persia
Trade Networks
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Silk road
Indian ocean trade
Trans-saharan trade
Mediterranean trade
Spread religions
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Buddhism
Judaism
Christianity
Confucianism
Daoism
Development and Transformation of social
structure
● Societies were patriarchal
● Hinduism used the Caste
System
● Women mainly did
housework
● Men had more jobs and
specialization
Religion
● Polytheism:
o belief in more than one god
o ex: ancient greek religion
● Hinduism
o India
o Believes in Karma and reincarnation
o Caste system
● Buddhism
o India
o Believe in Nirvana and enlightenment
Religion (Continued)
Judaism
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Developed in the Middle East
Torah
Impacts: Diaspora Communities
Jerusalem= holy land
Christianity
● Developed in the Middle East
● Bible (follows Jesus and God)
● Spread to Western Europe and national religion in
Rome
Religion (Continued)
Confucianism
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Han Dynasty
Teachings of Confucius
Civil service exams
Mandate of Heaven
Mutual respect between leader and
civilians
Daoism
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Han Dynasty
Respect for nature
Conflict with Confucianism
Teachings of Laozi
Women’s Role in Religion
● Women had limited rights
o
Hinduism and Confucianism
● Believed to be equal
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Buddhism
Christianity
Islam
Characteristics of the Classical World
Asia
● China: Han and Qin Dynasties, Confucianism and Daoism
● India: Maurya and Gupta dynasties, Buddhism and
Hinduism
● Persia: Spread control throughout Middle East
● Silk Road trade
Africa
● Bantu Migrations- stateless societies
● Ghana empire (first African empire)
● Trans-Saharan trade
Characteristics of the Classical World (Continued)
Americas
● Mayans: Hierarchical state ruled by heredity, human sacrifice, believed
in cyclical nature of time
● Olmecs:followed nature gods
o Ex: Sun God
● Many head sculptures,
● Elaborate irrigation
Europe
● Rome: Creation of Roman Republic, polytheistic
● Greece: City States, development of art and architecture
● Silk Road and Mediterranean Sea trade
Main Points
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Trade networks
Origins of new religions and philosophies
Qin and Han Dynasty
Mauryan/Gupta Empire
Roman Empire