World History Homework Three- Model

1. Which do you like better, classical India or China, and why?

2. What advantage did Buddhism have over Hinduism in converting people outside of India?

Hinduism can only be followed by the Brahmins, the highest caste, while Buddhism appeals to all different levels of society; therefore, many people accepted it outside of India. (Olivia F.)

3. Explain what this is:

4. What aspect or aspects of Hinduism have enabled it to survive for so long?

Numerous aspects of the Hindu religion have served remarkably in facilitating its survival, two points coming immediately to mind. First, the flexibility of Hindu doctrine naturally tends to diminish the effects of foreign persuasion as it ultimately just adopts whatever religious concepts it encounters and incorporates them into itself seamlessly. Second, the idea of the Caste System, particularly in relation to reincarnation, has the ability to keep not only itself alive but a certain class of people in power, whereby including a self-serving incentive to those who uphold it. The religious system is so nearly flawless in both planning and execution that it has had a firm grip on India ever since its first implementation several millennia ago. (Joe B.)

5. Describe and explain one or more of your favorite insights by Sun Tzu.

Sun Tzu was a military strategist who lived during the Warring States period of China and wrote the famous Art of War. Having not read this, I cannot choose a “favorite” insight, but I like this one: “Therefore one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful.” This quotation demonstrates how logic, strategy, and ingenuity are more useful and honorable than brute force alone. (Addison)

6. Take your pick, classical India or China, and list in chronological order the major empires along with their time periods.

7. Current events question (choose "a" or "b"):

(a) Suppose you just heard about plans to build a mosque in Nazareth next to where the angel visited Mary, the mother of Jesus. What would your view be?

(b) The Silk Road established and developed during the Han dynasty was similar in some ways to the internet today.

Honors Questions (answer any 3 in addition to the above questions)

H1. The lecture mentions that the acceptance of Arabic as a liturgical language by the Pope of Alexandria may have aided the rise to dominance of Islam in Egypt. Your thoughts?

H2. Some question whether Confucianism is really a religion. What is your view?

H3. How do you think the major belief systems of today, as ranked in the lecture, will rank in 100 years?

H4. Describe what you think was the greatest contribution to the world by classical India or China.

H5. Comment on how important "zero" is to mathematics or thought in general. You might speculate on why it took so long to discover and use it.

H6. The lecture says that John the Apostle, the author of the Gospel of John, was a teenager. How old do you think he was? Explain (thinking beyond the lecture and using the Bible may help).