Age of Empires: Shi Huangdi, Confucius, and the Chinese Empire

Slides: 

#8-Age of Empires China

Lecture:

  • October 2nd at 10:30 am
  • Optional Lecture Reading, World History, Chapter 4, pages 111-139.

Age of Empires: Rome and the First Plague Pandemic

Slides: 

#9-Age of Empires Rome

Lecture:

  • October 4th at 10:30 am
  • Optional Lecture Reading, World History, Chapter 6

Tutorials this week

Tutorials this week will focus on “Age of Empire: India” 

Readings (all available in Worlds of History):

  • “The Rig Veda: Sacrifice as Creation” (Chapter 3, Reading 2)
  • “The Upanishads: Karma and Reincarnation” (Chapter 3, Reading 3)
  • “The Upanishads: Brahman and Atman” (Chapter 3, Reading 4)
  • “The Bhagavad Gita: Caste and Self” (Chapter 3, Reading 5)

Questions to think about:

  • How do each of these documents reflect the ideal society of those who created them?
  • What does the term ‘caste’ mean in ancient Indian society? What sort of structure does this society have? How does karma relate to the caste system? How can we see the caste system as a means of ordering society?