- SOCIAL STUDIES -

• The Ziggurat was a structure that was the centre of the Mesopotamian community.

  This is where the honouring and worship of the god or patron of the ancient people was held.
• The Code of Hammurabi contains 282 laws that deal with the daily life of ancient people or ancient Babylonia.
• The Code of Hammurabi is considered as one of the earliest written legal codes in history
• Cuneiform is a writing system cultivated by the Sumerians who first lived in Mesopotamia.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered the first literary work in the field of world literature. It is the story of King Gilgamesh of the city-state of Uruk in Sumer in the third century BCE.
• The sewerage system was first invented by the Dravidians who lived in Mohenjo-Daro who founded the Indus Civilization.
• Ayurveda or "Science" emphasizes the essential medicinal thought in India.

  It has helped maintained the health and safety of people.
• The Mahabharata is an epic poem about the Kurukshetra War between two royal families in India.
• Ramayana and Mahabharata are epic legacies in the field of Indian literature.

  The narrative of the Mahabharata revolves around two related Pandava families who represent evil and chaos.

  Meanwhile the Ramayana revolves around the love life of Prince Rama and Princess Sita.
• The Great Wall of China was built during the time of Shih Huang Ti of the Qin or Ch'in dynasty as protection against enemy attacks.
• Feng Shui or geomancy originated in China. It contains the belief about the correct balance of yin (soft and calmness) and yang (energetic and toughness) to bring about a good future in life.
• The pyramid is the tomb of the Pharaohs, which is steeped in religious symbolism and the power of the rulers.

  All wealth, luxury, preparation for the afterlife, belief in life after death can be seen in the pyramid.
• Mummification was first practiced by the Egyptians where the body of a deceased person is subjected to a preservation process that uses chemicals to dry the corpse before final burial.

  A mummy or embalmed corpse is then painted, wrapped in linen, and adorned with jewelry.
• Hieroglyphics was a writing system of the Egyptians that was important for

  recording and trade.
• Colonialism is the domination of a country to exploit its natural resources.
• Imperialism is the expansion of territory to achieve global power or world

  dominance.
• The concept of colonization refers to the conquest of a territory to subject it under the power of a foreign country.
• Colonization's objectives include:

  • Economy – to expand the industry and trade of the colonizing country and benefit from the raw resources of the conquered territory;
  • Religion – to spread the European belief in one God, providing a way to control the thoughts and feelings of the subjugated nation;
  • Power expansion – to establish military bases and extensive colonies.
• The unjust acts of colonization, subjugation, and exploitation by Western nations in Asia played a role in the emergence of nationalism in the region.
• Subjugation - the action of bringing someone or something under

  domination or control.
• Exploitation - the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to

  benefit from their work.
• Nationalism is the patriotic emotion demonstrated by a deep love

  and appreciation for one's homeland.
• There are two types of nationalism in Asia:

  1. Defensive Nationalism
  2. Aggressive Nationalism
• August 1914, the outbreak of the First World War resulted from alliances among European nations vying for territorial interests.

  The Central Powers, comprising Germany, Austria, and Hungary, faced off against the Allies, consisting of France, England, and Russia.
• Indians actively contributed to the war effort under British officials, temporarily

  setting aside differences between Muslim and Hindu communities.
• Gandhi led the movement, advocating peaceful methods such as satyagraha

  (non-violence).
• The Balfour Declaration of 1917 by the British stated that Palestine would be open to Jews as their homeland, causing tensions between Muslims and Jews.
• During English colonization, India saw the rise of nationalism through rebellion, revolution, and reform, peaking in the "Sepoy Mutiny" of 1857-1859.
• The Sepoy Mutiny involved Indian soldiers, the Sepoys, who revolted due to racial discrimination by the English.
• Mohandas Gandhi took the lead as the primary nationalist leader in India, striving for their independence.

  Recognized as Mahatma, a Sanskrit term signifying "Great Soul," he earned this title for his peaceful method of seeking freedom through nonviolent approaches from the English occupiers.
• Suttee or Sati - self-immolation of widowed women, participating in the burial of the deceased husband.
• Female Infanticide - killing new-born baby girls.
• Racial Discrimination - unequal treatment based on the Indian race or racial bias.
• Amritsar Massacre - the shooting of Indian soldiers or Sepoy by English soldiers during a Hindu celebration on April 13, 1919.
• Before the outbreak of the First World War, the drive for nationalism in Western Asia was initiated by Arabs, Iranians, and Turks, Kuwait, in 1759, became the first country in Western Asia to gain independence from foreign rule.