LESSON 8.12 Review 8.12.1
Key knowledge summary Use this dot point summary to review the content covered in this topic.
8.2 How do we know about Angkor and the Khmer Empire? • Legends of the rise of South-East Asian states are unreliable. • Inscriptions provide our only written primary sources from the Khmers. • Written primary sources from other societies that had contact with the Khmers provide more information. • Khmer archaeological sources provide much evidence. 8.3 How much did geography influence Khmer civilisation? • The geographical features of South-East Asia provided conditions necessary for the rise of civilisations along rivers, including Angkor and the Khmer Empire. • There were many different peoples and cultures in the region. 8.4 What was the historical setting? • Several states arose in mainland South-East Asia between the first century and the twelfth century. • There were contacts and conflicts between the South-East Asian states. • The expansion of the Khmer Empire was aided by conflicts between rival states. 8.5 How did the Khmer create an empire? • Jayavarman II founded the Khmer kingdom in 802 and built Hindu temples. • Under his successors, reservoirs were built in the Angkor area and the Khmers began to have conflicts with Champa. • Angkor Wat was built under Suryavarman II. • Jayavarman VII defeated the Chams, introduced Mahayana Buddhism, built Angkor Thom and expanded the Khmer Empire to its largest extent. He is regarded as the greatest of the Khmer kings. 8.6 How did religions influence the Khmer Empire? • Animism, Hinduism and Buddhism all played a part in shaping the beliefs and values of the Khmers. • Khmer culture was strongly influenced by the art, architecture and literature of Hinduism and Buddhism from India and Sri Lanka, but the styles were changed when the Khmers adopted them. 8.7 What was life like in the Khmer Empire? • Khmer society was very unequal, with kings and nobles having great power. • Khmer women carried out a huge range of trades and many became dancers. • The ordinary people provided the food surplus that supported the ruling classes. They also provided soldiers for wars and labour for building reservoirs and temples. 8.8 Why are Angkor’s buildings famous? • The city of Angkor had a million people grouped around it in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. • Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious structure. • Angkor Thom’s Bayon Temple has over 11 000 carved figures with scenes of war and everyday life. 8.9 Why did Angkor and Khmer Empire decline? • After the death of Jayavarman VII, temple-building ceased and the Khmers lost territory. • There are several factors that could have contributed to Angkor’s decline and fall. They include environmental damage, climate change, religious changes and attacks by the Tais.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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