FROM RIVER VALLEYS TO EMPIRES The Classic Civilizations of Persia, India, and China

1. FROM RIVER VALLEYS TO EMPIRES The Classic Civilizations of Persia, India, and China

2. Essential Question: What is the difference between a “river valley civilization” andan “empire”?

3. Bellringer #9 What are some characteristics of Judaism? (how many gods, where did it start, holy book, etc)

4. After thousands of years of civilization in river valleys, the world’s first empires appeared River valley civilizations were complex societies with advanced technologies, cities, workers, writing, and institutions (religions and governments)

5. Like river valley civilizations, empires were advanced societies with well-organized, centralized governments The difference is that empires conquer and rule over a variety of formerly independent people “EMPIRE” defined: a group of several different nations or people united and ruled over by a monarch (like an emperor or king)

6. Civilization Empire Organized around a single culture -- but not necessarily under the same ruler. Mesopotamian civilization had many different kingdoms and rulers Organized around a single ruler. Can include multiple civilizations. Example:

7. The nations that are ruled over obey and serve the mother country of the empire In the first ancient empire we learn about, the mother country of the empire was Persia

8. Han Dynasty in China Persian Empire Major Empires Mauryan and Gupta Empires in India

9. Mesopotamia: River Valley to Empire The fertile soil and lack of natural boundaries (like mountains) in Mesopotamia led to the Mesopotamian civilizations being the target of frequent invasions and conquests

10. One of the most important ancient empires was Persia (present-day Iran)

11. The Persians grew into a powerful empire under Kings Cyrus and Darius

12. With a powerful army, the Persians conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India The “10,000 Immortals”: Persia’s elite fighting force

13. Persia’s religion was Zoroastrianism (based on the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster) This religion viewed life as a struggle between good and evil; the Persians believed in Heaven and Hell as consequences for how they lived their lives

14. Zoroastrianism influenced the views of the afterlife in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

15. The Persian Empire at its Height How did the Persians control such a massive empire? MESOPOTAMIA INDUS RIVER VALLEY EGYPT

16. PERSIA’S SYSTEM OF CONTROL Persia controlled their lands in a variety of ways Persian kings were tolerant; they allowed conquered people to keep their languages and religions This kept the conquered people content and less likely to rebel

17. PERSIA’S SYSTEM OF CONTROL Rather than destroying or looting conquered cities, King Cyrus would show respect for local customs As the mother country of the empire, the Persians were definitely in charge However, life was tolerable under Persian rule, so this made most conquered people content

18. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE AT THE HEIGHT OF ITS POWER King Darius divided the empire into twenty provinces, each one was ruled by a satrap (local governor)

19. Satraps served as the “eyes and ears” of the Persian kings in their respective provinces PERSIA’S SYSTEM OF CONTROL They collected taxes from the people of the provinces and informed the king of any uprisings

20. PERSIA’S ORGANIZED EMPIRE The Persians built a network of roads in order to collect taxes, improve communication, and facilitate trade throughout their empire

21. PERSIA’S ORGANIZED EMPIRE The Persians used metal coins with standardized values to help promote trade

22. Empires in India: the Mauryan and the Gupta

23. The Mauryan Empire of India Indus River Valley

24. The Mauryan Empire of India After the river valley era, India transitioned into the Mauryan Empire Indus River Valley

25. Chandragupta Maurya became king of India in 321 BCE (Before Common Era), created a vast army, and conquered surrounding lands The Mauryan Empire of India Chandragupta’s empire controlled most of the Indian subcontinent

26. MAURYAN EMPIRE’S SYSTEM OF CONTROL King Chandragupta Maurya used tactics similar to the Persians’ to control his empire The king divided his empire into provinces, each ruled by a local prince that reported to him

27. The Mauryan Empire of India In 269 BCE, King Asoka took over; he expanded the Empire to its greatest extent Indus River Valley

28. During his wars of expansion, Asoka converted to Buddhism The Mauryan Empire of India After witnessing an extremely bloody battle, Asoka developed new policies of tolerance and non-violence for his empire Buddhism spread as a result of Asoka’s influence Indus River Valley

29. The Gupta Empire of India After Asoka’s death, the Mauryan Empire declined and was replaced by the Gupta Empire Chandra Gupta formed the Gupta Empire in 320 A.D. and expanded the empire

30. Gupta Empire: Classical India India experienced a “golden age” of art, learning, and science during the Gupta Empire, which was known as a “classical empire” Indian astronomers were the first to discover that the Earth is round Mathematicians invented modern numerals, the number zero, pi, and the decimal system

31. Gupta Empire: Classical India Merchants sold exotic spices and silks to people throughout Asia and the Mediterranean world, increasing India’s prosperity

32. Han Dynasty in China

33. China and the Dynastic Cycle Government in China was based upon the dynastic cycle: One ruling family (a “dynasty”) gains the “mandate of heaven”, then rules until the dynasty grows weak and is over-thrown

34. As a result, eras in Chinese history are named after the ruling dynasties (such as Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han) During the Han Dynasty, China became a “classical civilization” marked by its advanced government, trade, and technology

35. Han kings built a powerful army and expanded into Asia to form China’s first empire Chinese emperors added thousands of government workers (called bureaucrats) to collect taxes, enforce laws, and oversee building projects

36. In order to gain one of the 130,000 government jobs, citizens had to pass a civil service exam Exams were based on Confucian teachings

37. Han China: The First Chinese Empire Chinese technology became advanced, especially silk and paper making. Paper made books cheaper and increased literacy in China

38. Han China: The First Chinese Empire The desire for Chinese luxury goods led to the Silk Road: trade routes that connected China with Indians, Persians, and Mediterraneans

39. Closure Activity: Identify 3 similarities and 3 differences among the Persian, Indian, and Chinese empires