1 / 21

Chapter 7: India and China Establish Empires, 400 BCE-550 CE The Mauryan & Gupta

Chapter 7: India and China Establish Empires, 400 BCE-550 CE The Mauryan & Gupta. India’s First Empires. By 600 BCE, almost 1000 years after the Aryan migrations, many small kingdoms were scattered throughout India

Download Presentation

Chapter 7: India and China Establish Empires, 400 BCE-550 CE The Mauryan & Gupta

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Chapter 7: India and China Establish Empires, 400 BCE-550 CEThe Mauryan & Gupta

  2. India’s First Empires • By 600 BCE, almost 1000 years after the Aryan migrations, many small kingdoms were scattered throughout India • In 326, BCE, Alexander the Great conquered the region- left a Macedonian general-Seluecus I-in control

  3. Mauryan Empire: Chandragupta Maurya • 321 BCE, claimed the NW. region-lower Ganges River • By 305 BCE, defeated Seluecus I • 303 BCE Empire united northern India • 600,000 foot soldiers • 30,000 cavalry • 9,000 elephants • Imposed high taxes

  4. How did Chandragupta govern the Empire? • Relied on Katilya- a Brahmin • Arthashastra-(a rulers handbook) • Tough policies • Spies • Assassination • Bureaucratic • 4 provinces ruled by prince • divided into local districts to collect taxes & enforce law

  5. What was Life Like in Pataliputra? • Very wealthy • Gold covered pillars • Fountains • Thrones • Parks • Markets

  6. Who was Asoka? • Chandragupta’s grandson • Became king in 269 BCE • Started out brutal • Changed after Battle of Kalinga • Ruled by Buddhist principles

  7. Asoka’s Edicts • Huge stone pillars inscribed with new policies • Fairness • Humane treatment • Nonviolence • Religious toleration

  8. Extensive roads Improved travel conditions Wells & rest houses What else did Asoka Do?

  9. A Period of Turmoil • Power vacuum after Ashoka’s death • Many kingdoms with overlapping boundaries • MIGRATION, CULTURAL DIFFUSION, TRADE • New peoples, new languages, new ideas • Syncretism-blending of cultures into new form

  10. Gupta Empire • After 500 years, Chandra Gupta reunited India years • Expansion & consolidation of empire • Golden Age

  11. Daily Life • Small villages • Farmers • Craftspeople & merchants • Mostly patriarchal • Entire family worked together • Irrigation essential • Taxes paid in labor on irrigation projects

  12. TRADE PEACE and PROSPERITY Arts Science Astronomy Mathematics Golden Age of Gupta Empire

  13. Trade Spreads Indian Religions & Culture: • Both religions had become increasingly removed from the people • Hinduism was dominated by priests • Buddhist ideal of self-denial proved difficult for many to follow

  14. Buddhism & Hinduism Change • More Popular Form of Buddhism • Belief in bodhisattvas develops—Buddhas who save humanity • Mahayana sect—Buddhists accept new doctrines of worship/salvation • Theravada sect—Buddhists who follow original teachings of Buddha • Wealthy Buddhist merchants build stupas—stone structures over relics

  15. A Hindu Rebirth (Get It?) • Hinduism is remote from people by time of Mauryan Empire • moves toward monotheism; gods are part of one divine force • Brahma—creator of the world • Vishnu—preserver of the world • Shiva—destroyer of the world

  16. Achievements of Indian Culture: Literature & Performing Arts • Kalidasa—poet & dramatist, one of India’s greatest writers • Skillful & emotionally stirring plays still popular • Madurai writing academies create literature; 2,000 Tamil poems survive • Drama/dance troupes gain popularity & travel widely

  17. Indian Achievements: Astronomy, Math, Medicine • Ocean trade leads to advances in astronomy • Indian astronomers in Gupta Empire prove world is round • Mathematicians develop idea of zero & decimal system • Doctors write medical guides- make advances in surgery

  18. Spread of Indian Trade • Valuable Resources • spices, diamonds, • Ivory, precious stones, & good quality wood

  19. Silk Roads & Indian Ocean Trade • Overland trade routes called Silk Roads connect Asia & Europe • Maritime routes monsoon winds to connect India east to China & west to Arabian Peninsula & Africa

  20. Effects of Indian Trade • Increased trade leads to rise in banking • Bankers lend money to merchants, careful of degree of risk • Increased trade spreads Indian culture to other places • Trade brings Hinduism, Buddhism to other lands

More Related