Welcome to Monsoon Asia

Your first dangerous assignment is to create your own dedicated Asian Studies blog, preferably with blogger.com, and send me the URL (e.g., http://xx.blogger.com).

For Wednesday's class, please read the introduction and first chapter of our textbook, and answer in writing the chapter questions:

Introduction

1. What are monsoons, and what are their impact on Asian society and culture? What are Asia's monsoon seasons?
2. What distinguishes "monsoon Asia" from the remainder of Asia? What are the consequent differences between the two?
3. How has Chinese civilization linked monsoon Asia to Central Asia over time?
4. According to the text, what is "exceptional" about south Indian and Southeast Asian civilizations in relation to the rest of monsoon Asia?
5. What are the social consequences of an irrigation wet-rice society?
6. Where did the most populous early Asian societies form and why?
7. What is a "vegetable civilization"? What are its consequences?
8. What are the common features among monsoon Asia's societies and cultures?

Chapter 1 (Prehistoric Asia)

1. What is the Neolithic revolution" and what are its distinguishing features? Why are pottery fragments important in telling us about earliest societies?
2. What factors help explain the rise and fall of the Indus Valley civilization? What is known about its relationship to Sumer and the Aryan culture?
3. Although Southeast Asia is a distinct cultural region, it continues to share much with both China and India. How did this blending occur? What made Southeast Asia distinct from its Asian neighbors? What did it share with them? How did Southeast Asia potentially contribute tot the development of Chinese civilization?
4. What role did the migrations of populations by land and by sea into already settled regions play in the development of Asia's civilizations?
5. Why did China's initial center of civilization develop in north China? What did the Yellow River contribute to these developments?
6. How were Korea and Japan connected in prehistoric times?
7. What were the characteristics of Japan's Jōmon culture?