Transcript Document

U3LG1 - India
Eastern Classical Civilizations
Unit 3: Learning Goal 1: Describe the major political,
religious/philosophical and cultural influences of classical
India including the origins and central ideas of Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Confucianism. (TEKS/SE’s 3A,19B, 23A,
25A,1B)
What is my goal?
How am I going to achieve this goal?
• Generally India divided into small regional political units, but
for two periods during the Classical Era India was unified by
imperial powers
• First period of imperial unity was under the rule of the
Mauryan Dynasty (324BC-183BC)
• Mauryan rule followed characteristic imperial pattern of
dividing territory into provinces and use of a strong military
•
• Mauryan Empire reached its height under the rule of Ashoka
• After the death of Ashoka decline, disunity and collapse of
the empire
The Mauryan Empire is Established
• Chandragupta Maurya
Seizes Power
o In 321 B.C.
Chandragupta Maurya
seizes power, starts
Mauryan Empire
• Chandragupta Maurya
Unifies North India
o Chandragupta defeats
Seleucus I; north India is
united for the first time
o Chandragupta uses
taxes to support his large
army
The Mauryan Empire is Established
• Running the Empire
o Chandragupta’s chief adviser is Kautilya, a priest
o Chandragupta creates a bureaucratic government
o He divides the government to make it easier to rule
The Mauryan Empire is Established
• Asoka Promotes Buddhism
o After a bloody war with Kalinga, Asoka
promotes Buddhism and peace
o Preaches religious toleration—accepting
people of different religions
o Builds roads, with wells along them
Mauryan Dynasty
The Aryan culture brought little political
unity to India. Did bring the Caste system
• Mauryan Dynasty: Indian state formed in
324 BC.
• Asoka: greatest king of the Mauryan
Empire. Built schools, hospitals, & roads
• India’s stability led to a growth of trade
and eventually the silk road
A Period of Turmoil
• The Breakup of the Mauryan Empire
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o
o
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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
Tamils—a people living in southern India—remain separate and frequently
war with rival peoples.
• The second period of imperial unity was under Gupta
rule (320AD- circa 500AD)
• Gupta rulers controlled less territory than Mauryan rulers
• Nomadic invasions during the 5th century brought an
end to the Gupta empire
• During the classical period India became a crossroads in
a vast trade network that stretched from the Pacific the
Mediterranean Sea
•
•
The Gupta Empire is
Established
• Chandra Gupta Builds
an Empire
o Chandra Gupta
marries into kingship in
north India in A.D. 320
o Starts Gupta Empire—
India’s second empire;
flowering of Indian
civilization, especially
Hindu culture (see next
slide)
o His son Samudra
Gupta expands
empire with conquest
Radha and Krishna in the grove.
Painting (about 1780)
The Gupta Empire is
Established
• Daily Life in India
o Majority of Indians are farmers; entire
family raises crops together
o Families are patriarchal—headed by the
eldest male
o Farmers have to contribute work to
government and pay heavy taxes
o Some Tamil families are matriarchal—led
by mother rather than father
The Gupta Empire is
Established
• Height of the Gupta Empire
o Chandra Gupta II rules from A.D. 375-415
o He defeats the Shakas and adds western
coast to empire
o Gupta Empire sees flourishing of arts,
religion, and science
o After Chandra Gupta II dies, the empire
declines
The Silk Road
The Silk Road
• Trade route (4000 miles) mostly between the Roman
Empire and China (through northern India)
• How the East influenced the West (land of Silk)
• Camels carried humans and goods across
mountains and deserts
The Silk Road
• Growth of Hinduism and Buddhism in India provided
means for social control
• Conversion of Ashoka to Buddhism influenced his
policies
• Social stratification intensified by the caste system
• Writing of the Mahabharata, Ramayana and
Bhagavad Gita
• Architectural creations of pillars, stupas and rock
chambers
• Use of zero, decimal system and numerals
• Use of Sanskrit
• Work in geometry and algebra
• Calculation of the circumference of the earth
• Concept of zero, decimal system and number
system used today