The History of Buddhism

TOPIC: Write about the history of buddhism, how it started, how long ago, how big it is today etc. further instructions below
The paper should be 4-6 pages double-spaced and include Chicago-style notes and a bibliography.
You must draw on a minimum of five academically-appropriate sources (Books, chapters from books, refereed journal articles, more “popular” articles from sources such as the Smithsonian, History Today, and National Geographic would also be acceptable.

General Tips: While you may need to start with a broadly conceived topic, try ultimately to formulate a research question. Your question should involve exploring the non-Western world prior to 1500 CE. Remember the four cs of world history as you strive to find a topic and question: civilizations (ex. Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley Civilization; the Shang Dynasty, etc.); comparisons (ex. How did the differing geographic contexts of Mesopotamia and Egypt affect the cultural outlook of these two early river valley civilizations?); contacts (ex. Why did the Aztecs seem to get the short end of the stick in terms of microbiological exchange in their encounters with the conquistadors?); and the impact of cross-cutting forces (environmental change; missionary work; technological innovations; the spread of disease).