Was Buddhism a revolutionary change from Hinduism?

i really need help!! I have an in class essay and i need help on this question. My teacher said there was no right or wrong answer to this, but i don't know how to support it. I don't know what details to include! HELP!!

Fuck no.
Just pick up a copy of the Lotus Sutra and you'd pick up on that.

The Teachings of the Buddha are mostly atheistic and centered upon a state of peace within self by denial of worldly desires. Hinduism is a WAY different system and much more complex.

Buddhism has nothing to do with Hinduism or any other religion for that matter.
? What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'bud hi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35.
? Is Buddhism a Religion?

To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. It is a philosophy because philosophy 'means love of wisdom' and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:
(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.
? How Can Buddhism Help Me?

Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world, and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to true happiness.
? Why is Buddhism Becoming Popular?

Buddhism is becoming popular in western countries for a number of reasons, The first good reason is Buddhism has answers to many of the problems in modern materialistic societies. It also includes (for those who are interested) a deep understanding of the human mind (and natural therapies) which prominent psychologists around the world are now discovering to be both very advanced and effective.
? Who Was the Buddha?

Siddhartha Gotama was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal, in 563 BC. At 29, he realized that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness, so he explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of the day, to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found 'the middle path' and was enlightened. After enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism ? called the Dhamma, or Truth ? until his death at the age of 80.
? Was the Buddha a God?

He was not, nor did he claim to be. He was a man who taught a path to enlightenment from his own experience.
? Do Buddhists Worship Idols?

Buddhists sometimes pay respect to images of the Buddha, not in worship, nor to ask for favors. A statue of the Buddha with hands rested gently in its lap and a compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. Bowing to the statue is an expression of gratitude for the teaching.
? Why are so Many Buddhist Countries Poor?

One of the Buddhist teachings is that wealth does not guarantee happiness and also wealth is impermanent. The people of every country suffer whether rich or poor, but those who understand Buddhist teachings can find true happiness.
? Are There Different Types of Buddhism?

There are many different types of Buddhism, because the emphasis changes from country to country due to customs and culture. What does not vary is the essence of the teaching ? the Dhamma or truth.
? Are Other Religions Wrong?

Buddhism is also a belief system which is tolerant of all other beliefs or religions. Buddhism agrees with the moral teachings of other religions but Buddhism goes further by providing a long term purpose within our existence, through wisdom and true understanding. Real Buddhism is very tolerant and not concerned with labels like 'Christian', 'Moslem', 'Hindu' or 'Buddhist'; that is why there have never been any wars fought in the name of Buddhism. That is why Buddhists do not preach and try to convert, only explain if an explanation is sought.
? Is Buddhism Scientific?

Science is knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general natural laws. The core of Buddhism fit into this definition, because the Four Noble truths (see below) can be tested and pr oven by anyone in fact the Buddha himself asked his followers to test the teaching rather than accept his word as true. Buddhism depends more on understanding than faith.
? What did the Buddha Teach?

The Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

I hope this helps.

What Buddha found out in the end of his search was that he is the Self or the universal consciousness itself. It is the same as the essence of Vedanta that ?I am that?. In the purest form both are the same. Buddhism was only one way for understanding the Self.

Only thing is that Buddhism came up at a time when Hinduism degraded into ritualism forgetting the essential teachings that IE Vedanta. But it was what Krishna told in Bhagvad Gita that ?whenever there is a rise of unrighteousness , I body forth for the uplift of Dharma?. Hence the Supreme Soul incarnates in different forms for uplifting truth. Buddha was an incarnation for upholding truth.Hence there is nothing revolutionary in Buddhism than what is told in Hinduism. Only thing is that Budha was a necessity to uphold truth in one of the darkest periods of Hinduism in India.

While Hinduism is an ocean , I consider Buddhism is just a wave .Hinduism is a religion which has been there from the very beginnings of existence.Sanatana Dharma or eternal values was the original name of Hinduism. It comprises the teachings of thousands of enlightened spiritual teachers in Ancient India.Ultimately Hinduism is all about finding oneself. Just like the west is today exploring many aspects of the external world, the Rishis of ancient India through various experiments tried to explore the inner world. They even experimented with sex to reach enlightenment.And that was the basis of Tantra.

Sri Buddha was only one of the great enlightened teachers in ancient India.He practiced all the existing spiritual techniques at that time and found out Vipassana a very special technique of observation which ultimately is said to have taken him to enlightenment. With the revival of Vedanta in India with the advent of Sri Sankara, Buddhism lost its relevance in India and went to other countries like China where it flourished. Hence I consider Buddhism just as an offshoot of Hinduism not which is something separate from it.Buddhism is only one way of finding out oneself found out by one of the great spiritual teachers in India.

Slayer1014's answer is great. I need to clear up a misconception though on some people's parts. Hinduism did NOT exist during the Buddha's time. The religion was Vedic, and Hinduism eventually came out of those practices. Guatama Buddha was alive in a time of religious uncertainty. People weren't happy with the Vedic religion and many, MANY people went off to live the homeless life to try and find the right enlightenment. There were many different practices during that time.

This looks like the best answere so far. The Vedic religions and Hinduism is the same thing. It wasn't referred to as Hinduism until later. Buddhism incorperates a lot of the vedic phylosophies into their own.