Question | Answer |
Monsoon | seasonal winds that bring rain in the summer and dry air in the winter |
Caste System | a strict system of social classes tied to Hinduism |
Nirvana | enlightenment; everlasting peace in Buddhism |
Reincarnation | when a soul is reborn into another body after a person dies; part of Hinduism and Buddhism |
Karma | based upon your actions; influences reincarnation; good deeds build good karma, bad deeds build bad karma |
Eightfold Path | the way to achieve Nirvana in Buddhism |
Archipelago | a chain of islands |
Kami | spirits in Shinto |
Siddhartha Gautama | founder of Buddhism; became Buddha |
Muhammad | founder of Islam |
Confucius | Chinese philosophy whose teachings became the basis for education and government in China |
Where does the Indus River flow and what is its source? | The Indus River begins in the Himalaya Mountains and flows through Pakistan. |
Where is Mount Everest located? | Himalaya Mountains |
What is the purpose of the 3 Gorges Dam? | To create hydroelectricity for China |
Where do most Chinese live? | North China Plain and near rivers and coasts |
What is the Asian Brown Cloud and what problems does it cause? | A brown haze of air pollution over many major cities in Asia; lung disease, alters monsoon patterns, decreases photosynthesis |
What is causing the pollution in the Ganges River? | Sewage, cremated bodies, dead animals, fertilizers, industrial waste |
What is India’s main environmental concern? | Overpopulation |
What are the main beliefs of Islam? | Monotheistic, 5 Pillars of Islam, belief that there is only 1 God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet |
Who began Islam? | Muhammad |
What is the sacred text of Islam? | Qur’an |
Where is Islam mainly practiced? | Southwest Asia, Pakistan, Indonesia (worldwide) |
What are the main beliefs of Hinduism? | Caste system, reincarnation based upon karma, monotheistic (many manifestations: Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma) |
How did Hinduism begin? | developed over time in India |
What is the sacred text of Hinduism? | Upanishads and Vedas |
Where is Hinduism mainly practiced? | Main religion in India, but found worldwide |
What are the main beliefs of Buddhism? | 4 Noble Truths, human suffering is caused by greed, follow the Eightfold Path to reach nirvana, Buddha is seen as a leader/teacher (not a god), reincarnation |
How did Buddhism begin? | Siddhartha Gautama |
What is the sacred text of Buddhism? | Triptika |
Where is Buddhism mainly practiced? | Asia (but found worldwide) |
What are the main beliefs of Shinto? | The idea that kami (spirits) are in everything |
How did Shinto begin? | ancient Japanese religion |
What is the sacred text of Shinto? | no sacred text |
Where is Shinto mainly practiced? | Japan |
What are the main ideas of Confucianism? | Philosophy about government and education, Golden Rule |
What is the text of Confucianism? | Analects |
Where is Confucianism mainly followed? | China and Asia |
Why is Confucianism not considered a religion? | Confucianism are guidelines for government and education, not a system of beliefs |
What is the climate and geography of Asia like? | Very diverse – mountains, deserts, plains |
What is China’s main environmental concern? | Air pollution |
Which river in China is known as “China’s Sorrow” and why? | Huang He because of disastrous flooding |
Why is air pollution a growing problem in India? | Rapid industrialization and growing population |
Why is the Yangtze River important to the people of China? | Provides a source of drinking water, irrigation, and transportation |
Where do most people live in China? | North China Plain and near rivers and coasts |
How have the Himalayas impacted northern India’s development? | Himalayas protected India from invaders |
How do the Japanese feed their people with so little good farmland? | Fishing and importing food |
How has the geography of Asia affected where people live and the way in which they live? | People in Asia tend to live where transportation is easier, like near rivers or oceans. Areas with fertile land, like the North China Plain and Indus River Valley, are heavily populated. People do not live in deserts, like the Gobi, or mountain. |
Compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism. | Hinduism and Buddhism both believe in reincarnation and that eventually the soul will be reunited with a universal spirit. Hinduism does not have a specific founder and the caste system. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama. |