Buddhism, Islam & Geography: Assessment Prep

• Study notes for U5 Assessment Prep cover:
  • Buddhism and its spread to China and Japan
  • Islam and its spread to East and West Africa
  • Geography of Japan and Africa.

Assessment Structure and Dates

• The assessment consists of 15 Selected Best Multiple Choice Questions (SBMC) and a Constructed Response Question (CRQ) totaling 50 points
• Assessment dates are:
  • Monday, March 24 for Courses 3, 5, and 6
  • Tuesday, March 25 for Course 8

Part 1: Buddhism Review - Beliefs & Spread to China & Japan

Historical Context and Origin

• Buddhism originated in ancient India during the 5th century B.C.E
• Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince, founded Buddhism after witnessing four sights: an elderly man, a sick man, a corpse, and an ascetic
• Gautama renounced his privileged life to seek the truth of suffering
• He achieved enlightenment (liberation from the cycle of suffering) and became known as The Buddha
• Buddha taught the path to end suffering through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path

Spread of Buddhism

• Buddhist teachings spread throughout India and beyond
• The Silk Road facilitated the transmission of Buddhist ideas and practices
• Merchants and Buddhist missionaries played a role in spreading Buddhism
• Buddhist manuscripts, images, and other items were carried along trade routes

Syncretism & Cultural Diffusion: Buddhism in China

Arrival

• Initial opposition to Buddhist ideas in China stemmed from the conflict with Chinese traditions that valued family loyalty over the solitary meditation of monks and nuns
• Despite opposition, Buddhism gained popularity, especially during times of crisis, as it promised an escape from suffering

Buddhism in China

• Chinese Buddhism integrated traditions from Chinese religions like Confucianism and Daoism
• A synthesis of Mahayana Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism emerged
• This synthesis stressed filial piety and honored Confucius
• Buddhist monasteries became significant learning and art centers
• Stupas evolved into pagodas in China which are multi-tiered towers

Syncretism

• Chinese Buddhism blended with Daoism, integrating the ideas of Dao and harmony with nirvana
• The concept of yin/yang blended with the Middle Way.
• Chinese Buddhism blended with Confucianism
  • Confucius was seen as a wise Buddhist teacher
  • Filial piety included helping parents reach nirvana

Japanese Geography

• Shinto religion is based on respect for forces of nature
• Kami (spiritual beings/gods) are found in nature
• Shrines dedicated to kami are built in natural settings like forests, waterfalls, and caves.
• Prince Shotoku was instrumental in introducing Chinese culture by sending representatives to China to study their culture for over 200 years

Cultural Diffusion & Buddhism in Japan

• Travelers brought Chinese ideas and customs, including Buddhism, along Silk Road sea routes from China and Korea
• Buddhist ideas and worship spread through Japanese society and Shinto beliefs remained important

Buddhism in Japan

• Zen Buddhism flourished by seeking one's Buddha nature through deep meditation
• Encourages mindfulness and staying present
• Practiced through Zen monasteries/temples
• Use of Koans which are anecdotes designed to provoke enlightenment

Syncretism

• Chinese Buddhism blended with Shintoism
  • Some Buddhist rituals became Shinto rituals
  • Some Shinto gods/goddesses were worshiped in Buddhist temples
  • Zen Buddhism blended Buddhism and Shinto
  • Japan adopted Chinese writing system
  • Artists painted landscapes in the Chinese manner
• Followed Chinese styles in simple arts of everyday living like cooking, gardening, drinking tea, and hairdressing

Part 3: Islam Review - Beliefs & Spread to East & West Africa

• Islam is a monotheistic religion that follows the Five Pillars of Islam: declaration of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

Historical Context

• The religion originated in Mecca around 610 C.E
• Prophet Muhammad is Islam's founder
• Muhammad received divine revelations from God (Allah) through the angel Gabriel
• The revelations were written down in the Quran, Islam's holy book
• Islam teaches there is only one god (Allah) and Muhammad is his messenger

African Geography

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

• Trans-Saharan trade routes connected sub-Saharan Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean world
• Camel caravans were used to transport goods across the desert
• Facilitated the exchange of gold from Western Mali for salt mined in the Sahara
• Salt was highly valued and used as currency also being taxed heavily
• A silent barter system developed where goods were exchanged without direct contact
• Timbuktu was a crucial trade hub for the trans-Saharan trade

Indian Ocean Trade Routes

• The Indian Ocean trade routes connected East Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and China
• Facilitated the trade of goods such as silk, porcelain, spices, ivory, and gold, as well as enslaved people, religions, languages, and technology
• Reliant on predictable monsoons which allowed merchants to plan voyages and navigate effectively
• Trade routes led to the rise of trade centers in Swahili city-states along the East African coast

Swahili City States

• Swahili city-states were located on the East African coast and originated from the Bantu language family
• These states had diverse populations including traders, farmers, cattle herders, and fishers
• Long history of trade (East Coast of Africa to Asia) is evident in food, dress, architecture, language, and religion
• Starting in the 10th century, the East African city states flourished
• Each city-state was Muslim (but diverse) and politically independent of each other

Spread of Islam to Africa

• Contained mingling of Arab, Persian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Indian, and Chinese merchants
• These merchants competed against each other for market power
• The Bantu migration saw a language family with similar cultures
• They were farmers, iron workers, and animal herders who migrated due to push and pull factors that are not fully understood
• The earliest wave of migration consisted of an initial eastern stream followed by a later western stream

Spread

• Trans-Saharan trade routes facilitated the transmission of Islamic ideas and practices throughout Africa
• Muslim traders from North Africa and the Middle East spread goods and their faith
• Through interacting with local communities, gradual conversion and Islamization occurred

Impact- West Africa

• Powerful Islamic states rose as rulers adopted Islamic legal systems called Mali Empire
• The 14th-century emperor of Mali Empire, Mansa Musa made grand pilgrimage to Mecca
• His caravan had about 50,000 people, and camels and horses bearing gold
• Musa spent massive quantities of gold causing years of hyperinflation
• Brought back scholars and architects to establish Islamic institutions
• Cities like Timbuktu became critical trading hubs and centers of learning
• Attracted scholars from around Islamic World

Impact- East Africa

• Merchants from Arabia, Persia, and the wider Muslim world settled in East African coastal cities
• They brought goods, Islamic teachings, scholarship, and the Arabic writing system
• Influenced the Swahili language and literature
• Use of Arabic script allowed Swahili writers to document religious and historical texts
• This enabled a transition from purely oral traditions to early stages of written Swahili literature
• Swahili literature became dominated by Islamic themes which focused on Quranic interpretations, religious poetry, and historical chronicles