India and China Establish Empires 400 B.C.-AD.550

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India and China Establish Empires 400 B.C.-AD.550
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Chapter Opener

• Asoka The Buddhist King of India
• Buddhism turned Asoka, the bloodthirsty king of
  ancient Indias Mauryan Empire, into a
  peace-loving ruler.

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Section 1 Indias First Empires
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The Mauryan Empire is Established

• Chandragupta Maurya Seizes Power
• In 321 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya seizes power,
  starts Mauryan Empire
• Chandragupta Maurya Unifies North India
• Chandragupta defeats Seleucus I north India is
  united for the first time
• Chandragupta uses taxes to support his large army

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The Mauryan Empire is Established

• Running the Empire
• Chandraguptas chief adviser is Kautilya, a
  priest
• Chandragupta creates a bureaucratic government
• He divides the government to make it easier to
  rule

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The Mauryan Empire is Established

• Life in the City and the Country
• A Greek ambassador writes glowing praise of the
  empire
• Chandraguptas son rules from 301 to 269 B.C.,
  (32 years)
• AsokaChandraguptas grandson, brings the empire
  to its height

Mahabodhi Temple, site of first temple built by
Asoka (3rd century B.C.) on spot of Buddhas
enlightenment. Bihar, India
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The Mauryan Empire is Established

• Asoka Promotes Buddhism
• After a bloody war with Kalinga, Asoka promotes
  Buddhism and peace
• Preaches religious tolerationaccepting people of
  different religions
• Builds roads, with wells along them

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A Period of Turmoil

• The Breakup of the Mauryan Empire
• Asoka dies in 232 B.C. kingdoms in central India
  soon break away
• The Andhra Dynasty dominates central India for
  centuries
• Northern India receives immigrants from Greece
  and other parts of Asia
• Tamilsa people living in southern Indiaremain
  separate and frequently war with rival peoples.

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The Gupta Empire is Established

• Chandra Gupta Builds an Empire
• Chandra Gupta marries into kingship in north
  India in A.D. 320
• Starts Gupta EmpireIndias second empire
  flowering of Indian civilization, especially
  Hindu culture (see next slide)
• His son Samudra Gupta expands empire with conquest

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Radha and Krishna in the grove. Painting (about
1780)
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The Gupta Empire is Established

• Daily Life in India
• Majority of Indians are farmers entire family
  raises crops together
• Families are patriarchalheaded by the eldest
  male
• Farmers have to contribute work to government and
  pay heavy taxes
• Some Tamil families are matriarchalled by mother
  rather than father

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The Gupta Empire is Established

• Height of the Gupta Empire
• Chandra Gupta II rules from A.D. 375-415
• He defeats the Shakas and adds western coast to
  empire
• Gupta Empire sees flourishing of arts, religion,
  and science
• After Chandra Gupta II dies, the empire declines