Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________ Class Period: ________

Strayer (3rd Edition) Reading Guided Notes: Chapter 4

Eastern Religions/Philosophies Before ca. 1200 CE
As you read the selections from the chapter, use the following questions/key vocab
words/graphic organizers to make sure you take notes on all the important information. You
also need to look up and write definitions for any words you can’t define, write down
questions you have, and add your own annotations that will help you remember this
information. You may use all handwritten notes on the reading quiz.

The Confucian Answer (pg. 150-154)

1. Identify the founder of Confucianism and the name of the founding text for the
philosophy (last paragraph on page 151).

2. Describe how Confucianism views relationships and explain the relationships between
father and son, husband and wife, older brother to younger brother, and emperor to
subject (page 152, 1st full paragraph).

3. Explain how these relationships could make society better (page 152, 1st full paragraph).

4. Explain how people were expected to know how to behave (there are three parts to this
answer) (page 152, 2nd full paragraph).
5. Describe TWO ways that Confucianism was part of government/society/culture in Han
China (pages 153-154, one response in each paragraph).

6. Define “patriarchy” and explain how Confucianism supported patriarchal ideas in Han
China (page 153, 3rd full paragraph).

7. Define “Mandate of Heaven” and explain how Confucianism supported this belief.

8. Explain why Confucianism is considered secular instead of religious.

Hinduism South Asian Religion: From Ritual Sacrifice to Philosophical
Speculation
(pgs. 157-159)
9. Identify the first text of Hinduism and the TWO ways the Vedas were passed down
through time (page 157, 1st paragraph of section).

10. Identify TWO ways women in early Hinduism were able to participate in the religion
(page 157, 1st paragraph of section).

11. Describe the Brahmins, explain why they were important in early Hinduism and explain
why Brahmins were criticized (page 157, last paragraph).

12. Identify the second text of Hinduism and describe ONE difference between it and the
Vedas.

13. Define moksha, samsara, karma, and reincarnation (page 158, 2nd and 3rd paragraphs).

14. Explain how karma impacted a person’s caste and how that connected to moksha
(page 158, 3rd paragraph).
 15. Describe TWO ways the caste system and Hinduism reinforced patriarchy (page 158, last
paragraph).

The Buddhist Challenge (pgs. 159-162)

16. Identify the founder of Buddhism and explain why he began to develop this new
philosophy (page 159, 1st paragraph in section).

17. Identify “dukkha” and explain how the Buddha believed people could end this problem
(page 160, 1st paragraph).

18. Describe ONE similarity and ONE difference between Hinduism and Buddhism
(page 160, 2nd and 3rd paragraphs).
19. Describe TWO ways Buddhism supported patriarchy and TWO ways it gave women
more opportunities (page 161, 1st and 2nd full paragraphs).

20. Explain how Buddhism spread from India (page 161, 3rd full paragraph).

21. Describe Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism (pages 151-162).

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________ Class Period: ________

Strayer (4th Edition) Reading Guided Notes: Chapter 1

Eastern Religions/Philosophies Before ca. 1200 CE
As you read the selections from the chapter, use the following questions/key vocab
words/graphic organizers to make sure you take notes on all the important information. You
also need to look up and write definitions for any words you can’t define, write down
questions you have, and add your own annotations that will help you remember this
information. You may use all handwritten notes on the reading quiz.

Middle Eastern Cultural Traditions: Judaism and Christianity (pgs. )

1. Explain why Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered Abrahamic religions, and
describe TWO other similarities these religions share.

2. Describe TWO characteristics of the Jewish concept of god.

3. Describe TWO of the main components of Jesus’s beliefs and explain how they were
related to Jewish beliefs.
4. Identify the person who is considered responsible for making Jesus’s teachings a new
religion and explain why he did this.

5. Explain ONE reason Christianity was not initially accepted by many in the Roman
Empire and identify the person responsible for this changing.

6. Describe TWO ways that Christianity changed over time before ca. 1200 CE.
Notes/Annotations