World History, Grades 9-12

Thematic Maps

A thematic map, or special-

purpose map, focuses on a

particular topic. The

movements of peoples, a

country’s natural resources,

and major battles in a war are

all topics you might see

illustrated on a thematic map.

Read the title to

determine the subject and

purpose of the map.

Examine the labels on the

map to find more

information on the map’s

subject and purpose.

Study the legend to find

the meaning of the

symbols and colors used on

the map.

Look at the colors and

symbols on the map to try

to identify patterns.

Read the questions, and

then carefully study the

map to determine the

answers.

The Spread of Buddhism

1. To which area did Buddhism spread after A.D. 550?

A.Java

B.China

C. Japan

D.Champa

2. The routes tracing the spread of Buddhism show the
   great cultural influence that China had on

A.Mongolia and Vietnam.

B.Korea and Japan.

C.Vietnam and Korea.

D.India and Japan.

answers:1 (C); 2 (B)

Ajanta Sarnath

Anuradhapura

Lumbini

Khotan

Sanchi

Pagan

Angkor

Nanhai

Chang’an

Yungang Kaesong

Kyongiu Yamato

Putuo Shan

Dunhuang

Taxila

Borneo

Java

Sumatra

Ceylon

Chang

Jiang(YangtzeR.)

Ganges

R.

Indu

sR. HuangH

e(Y

ellowR.)

Meko

ngR

.

BrahmaputraR

.

Yellow

Sea

East

China

Sea

INDIAN OCEAN

South

China

Sea

Bay of Bengal

CHINA

MONGOLIA

NEPAL

CHAMPA

INDIA

TIBET

KOREA

JAPAN

c.^2

50

B.C.

(^3) rd
cen
tury
B.C.
(^1) st
cen
tur
yB.
C. A.D. 372
A.D.^552
c.A.
D. (^400)
c.A.D. 400
c.A.D.
(^400)
3rd century B.C.
A.D. (^1) st– 3 rdcenturies
Route of Spread
Buddhist site
0
0 500 1,000 kilometers
500 1,000 miles
Two–Point Equidistant Projection
N
S
E
W
S22
Notice that Buddhism
began in northern India
and next spread to much
of the rest of the Indian
subcontinent.
The labels identify the
important Buddhist sites
in South and East Asia.
STRATEGIES