Political, Religious, Economic, Social - India

Question 1

political

Answer 1

• no solid political or cultural institution
• went away with fragmentation
• regionalism
• diverse political forms
• shaky empires
• claims of Gods favored to rule
• taxation
• no extensive bureaucracy
• no single language
• power of the priests (real source of authority)
• caste system

Question 2

caste system

Answer 2

• allowed for conquerors and conquered to live without conflict
• loyalty to their caste

Question 3

religion

Answer 3

• Hinduism (under the Gupta)
• a lot of fragmentation
• Hinduism was cultural glue that held society together
• no central founder
• no central holy figure
• Artha: political and economic goals
• karma: worldly pleasures
• Dharma
• gentle, generous behavior
• tolerance
• helped promote continuity and cultural cohesiveness without political unity

Question 4

Upanishads

Answer 4

• stressed shallowness of worldly concerns
• riches, health
• attacked Brahmans view of ceremonies
• advanced the idea of contact with divine spirit
• reincarnation reinforces the caste system

Question 5

Dharma

Answer 5

• inter study
• meditation (concentrate of divine spirit)
• adheres to set of rules

Question 6

Buddhism

Answer 6

• buddha siddhartha gautama
• taught Buddhism around India
• accepted a lot of Hindu beliefs, but not the caste system
• world beyond earthly existence (nirvana)

Question 7

karma sutra

Answer 7

• loving relations and sexual pleasures

- support between husband and wife

Question 8

golden age

Answer 8

• gravity
• planets
• set bones
• plastic surgery
• zero and negative number, pi, square roots

Question 9

economy

Answer 9

• dominance of husbands (as agriculture became more advanced) (women’s status declines more)
• men were worshiped as gods?
• under Gupta, cotton, cloth, cashmere