Questions & Answers: World History – Ancient Civilizations

Explain the importance of the Mali culture in ancient history.
Today, Mali is the largest nation in west Africa. Indeed, throughout African history Mali has been a major power. Until the 11th century, it was a part of the empire of Ghana, a wealthy trading nation. Mali would eventually rise to prominence in its own right. The economy of Mali was based upon the rich mineral resources (especially gold) of the region. Mali reached its highest prominence during the reign of Mansa Musa (A.D. 1312-7). This ruler introduced Islam to his people, which at this time lived as far north as Morocco. The city of Timbuktu became a cultural center for the region, as well as a crossroads for trade routes that stretched across the Sahara. Over time, internal disputes would divide Mali into several smaller kingdoms.

Explain the importance of the Kushite culture in ancient history.
Kush, or Cush, was located south of ancient Egypt, and the earliest existing records of this civilization were found in Egyptian texts. At one time, Kush was the largest empire on the Nile River, surpassing even Egypt. In Neolithic times, Kushites lived in villages, with buildings made of mud bricks. They were settled rather than nomadic, and practiced hunting and fishing, cultivated grain, and also herded cattle. Kerma, the capitol, was a major center of trade.
Kush determined leadership through matrilineal descent of their kings, as did Egypt. Their heads of state, the Kandake or Kentake, were female. Their polytheistic religion included the primary Egyptian gods as well as regional gods, including a lion god, which is commonly found in African cultures. Archeological evidence indicates the Kushites were a mix of Mediterranean and Negroid peoples. Kush was conquered by Nubia in 800 BCE.

Explain the importance of the Mauryan empire.
The Mauryan Empire lasted approximately between the years 321 and 185 B.C. in India. It was established by the powerful leader Chandragupta Maurya, and featured a strong military and an efficient bureaucracy. The Mauryan empire eventually spread as far west as the Indus River as present-day Afghanistan. At its greatest expansion, the Mauryan empire comprised almost the entirety of what is now India. The leader Ashoka (c. 272-232 B.C.) converted to Buddhism, and his rule was prosperous for rich and poor alike. After the death of Ashoka, however, the Mauryan Empire splintered, as the southern lands sought autonomy and the northern lands were subject to constant foreign invasions.

Review the early civilizations that surrounded the Indus River Valley.
The Indus River Valley is an area bordered by the Himalayan Mountains in what is now Pakistan. The two great cities of this civilization were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, though there were also a large number of smaller communities in the area. The people of this region developed a system of writing, as well as systems of weight and measurement which were useful in trade. They exchanged goods with the people of Mesopotamia in the west as well as with the people of Tibet in the east. The Aryans invaded this region and brought with them iron technology and the Sanskrit language. The introduction of iron tools made it possible to cultivate the forests of the Ganges River Valley in what is now India.
 

What is Hinduism?
Hinduism is the traditional religion of India. It is expressed in an individual’s philosophy and behavior, rather than in the performance of any specific rituals. Hinduism does not claim a founder, but has evolved slowly over thousands of years; the first Hindu writings date back to the third millennium B.C. There are a few concepts that are common to all permutations of Hinduism, such as the Vedas, which are considered to be the sacred texts of the religion. The chief aim in life for a Hindu is to liberate himself from the cycle of suffering and rebirth. Hindus believe in reincarnation and that a person’s conduct in this life will affect his or her position in the next (karma). Although Hinduism is frequently associated with the caste system, the two are actually unrelated.

Review the significance of the Hindu caste system.
The Hindu caste system is a means of organizing society. It divides the populace into four groups, each associated with a part of the body of the Hindu god Parusha. The highest class is the brahmins, associated with the mouth of the god. In the original system, the brahmin class was made up of priests. The second caste is the kshatriyas, made up of rulers and soldiers; this caste is associated with the arms of Parusha. Next are the vaishyas, associated with the legs of the god. This caste was composed of landowners, merchants, and artisans. The last group is the shudras, associated with the feet of the god. This caste was composed of servants and slaves. Women do not have a place in the traditional Hindu caste system.
 

What was the earliest civilization in what would become China?
The earliest civilizations in what would become China flourished along the banks of the Huang He (Yellow) River before the year 2,000 B.C. The first Chinese dynasty was the Xia (Hsia), succeeded by the Shang dynasty. In this period, the rulers established an intricate system of government and a comprehensive judiciary. The basic components of this system would be preserved in Chinese civilization for centuries. The distinctive Chinese style of writing also developed during this period. Like Egyptian hieroglyphs, the Chinese pictographs are meant to resemble their definition. Over time, though, the Chinese characters have come to resemble their definitions less and less. In China, history was divided into a series of dynasties. The most famous of these, the Han Dynasty, existed from 206 BCE to 220 CE.

Accomplishments of the Chinese Empires included:
· Building the Great Wall of China
· Numerous inventions, including paper, paper money, printing, and gunpowder
· High level of artistic development
· Silk production
The Chinese Empires were comparable to Rome as far as their artistic and intellectual accomplishments, as well as the size and scope of their influence.

Review the dates of the ancient Chinese civilization.
In ancient China, human civilization developed along the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers., starting as long as 500,000 years ago. These people produced silk, grew millet, and made pottery, including Longshan black pottery.
Many historians believe Chinese civilization is the oldest uninterrupted civilization in the world. The Neolithic age in China goes back 10,000 years, with agriculture in China beginning as early as 7,000 years ago. Their system of writing dates to 1,500 BCE. In Ningxia, in northwest China, there are carvings on cliffs that date back to the Paleolithic Period, at least 6,000 years ago, indicating the extreme antiquity of Chinese culture. Literature from ancient China includes works by Confucius, Analects, the Tao Te Ching, and a variety of poetry.

Review some of the first known ancient American civilizations.
Less is known of ancient American civilizations since less was left behind. Those we know something of include:
· The Norte Chico civilization in Peru, an agricultural society of 20 individual communities, that existed over 5,000 years ago. This culture is also known as Caral-Supe, and is the oldest known civilization in the Americas.
· The Anasazi, or Ancient Pueblo People, in what is now the southwestern United States. Emerging about 1200 BCE, the Anasazi built complex adobe dwellings, and were the forerunners of later Pueblo Indian cultures.
· The Maya emerged in southern Mexico and northern Central America as early as 2,600 BCE. They developed a written language and a complex calendar.

Explain Buddhism.
Buddhism was created by Gautama Siddhartha (otherwise known as Buddha) in about 528 B.C. It was in part a response to Hinduism, which Buddha felt had become bloated with worldliness and politics. Traditional Buddhism is based upon the Four Noble Truths: existence is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, an end of suffering will come with Nirvana, and Nirvana will come with the practice of the Eightfold Path. The steps of the Eightfold Path are: right views; right resolve; right speech; right action; right livelihood; right effort; right mindfulness; and right concentration. Buddhism has no deities. Buddhism did not receive any official sanction for a long time, but eventually spread and took hold in India, China, Japan, and elsewhere.

Explain the Incan civilization.
The Incas inhabited a huge area, from present-day Ecuador to central Chile to the eastern side of the Andes Mountains. The Incas territory expanded especially after the 14th century A.D. The Incas were engaged in frequent conflicts with rival groups, and they frequently enslaved the groups that they defeated. They eventually formed a permanent underclass to ensure that the lands of the military leaders would be cultivated. Incas typically dispersed rival groups. The Incan religion contained a god in heaven, a cult of ancestors, and a number of sacred objects and places. The Incas called themselves the children of the Sun.

Explain the Mayan civilization.
The Mayans were based in the Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Tabasco, and Chiapas, as well as in what is now Guatemala and Honduras. Between the years A.D. 200 and 950, they developed a sophisticated civilization, with complex religions, architecture, arts, engineering, and astronomy. The Mayans did have a form of hieroglyphic writing, but most of their history and folklore was preserved orally. The Mayans are responsible for creating an extremely accurate calendar and for first conceiving of the number zero. The Mayan civilization was supported by agriculture, but it was run by a class of priests and warriors. In the 9th century, the Mayans were overrun by Toltecs from the north, who created the legend of the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl.