Transcript Honors Mauryan-Gupta - MrMacHistory

• Founded by Chandragupta Maurya ( 324 to 301
•
•
•

B.C.)
Increased centralized govt control over regional
kingdoms
large army of 700,000
secret police to watch for treason
301 BCE gave up his throne to & became a Jain
monk (extreme Buddhism)
 Most important ruler in ancient India
 Brutal military commander who extended the
Empire throughout S. and E. India
 Battle of Kalinga - 260 BC
 100,000 Kalingans died
 150,000 Kalingans driven from their home
 More died from disease & starvation in the
aftermath of the destruction brought on by the
war
 “What have I done?”
 Ashoka and many Indian leaders converted to
Buddhism after this battle and became pacifists
 He spent the rest of his life encouraging non-
violence, moderation and Buddhist principles to
India
Asoka’s Buddhist
Rock and Pillar Edicts
spread Buddhist principles
scattered in more than 30 places
in India, Nepal,Pakistan, &
Afghanistan.
 Each pillar is 40’-50’ high.
helped bring order and unity to
India
Agricultural economy
•New canals and irrigation systems for trade and
agriculture.
•renovated major roads throughout India.
•built towns for spinning & weaving textiles
•uniform system of currency, weights and measures
•Created provinces ruled by governors for tax
assessments and law enforcement
•Taxes rose over time to build Ashoka’s projects
which led to Empire’s fall at Ashoka’s death
•Increased trade by uniting India
•India traded silk, cotton, and spices to Mesopotamia,
China, Egypt and Rome
Silver punch mark coin
 State farms operated and
cultivated by slaves.

Grew Rice, Pepper,
Wheat, Barley, Mustard,
Sugar Cane, Medicinal
Roots
 Buddhism grows
 built thousands of Stupas for Buddhist followers.
 built Buddhist schools and universities
 the unnecessary eating of animals was abolished.
 Wildlife became protected including the first national parks
in the world
 promoted vegetarianism and built animal hospitals.
 Ashoka’s empire died out slowly after he died
 Buddhism architecture spread from India when Buddhism spread aver
the next 1000 years
• The Caste System limited social
opportunities & determined who
people could marry
• Families are patriarchal—headed
by the eldest male
• Laws limited women’s life and
abilities
 Sati was sometimes practiced
“Even a man in the grip of rage will
not be harsh to a woman, remembering
that on her depends the joy of love,
happiness and virtue” Mahabharata
epic
transition from wood to stone in their
architecture and art
Ashoka's Pillars
Indian Stupa
 Northern India
 Invading HUNS built new small regional kingdoms
 Hindu Kush civilizations
 Most powerful regional kingdoms for trade across the region and along the
Silk Road
 Jainism grew in influence during this time of confusion since the
leaders pushing Hindu and Buddhism were weakened
Gupta Dynasty Re-Unites India
(Classical India)
375-550 CE
• OVERVIEW:
• Chandra Gupta
founded it
• Peaceful
• great traders
• strong art, science
and mathematics
• Hinduism
dominated
• The Gupta have
strong central govt
which allowed a
degree of local
control
Politics
• Chandra Gupta (320-335 AD)
– Alliances & Conquest
– Consolidated Power & Territory
– Drove out the Kushans
• Samudra Gupta (335-375 AD)
• Chandra Gupta II (375-415 AD)
– Decentralization
– Peace & Prosperity (Faxian)
Gupta Economy
• owned gold mines, silver mines, and vast lands.
• rent money from farmers funded government (govt
owned the land)
• Silk Road served Gupta, Han, Rome and Persia Dynasties
• Indian merchants shipped ivory, jewels, and textiles, salt
and iron
• The Romans traded glass, jewels, and clothes.
• Chinese merchants traded silk, spices, tea, and porcelain.
• The Gupta Empire profited greatly from religious trade
and religious pilgrims.
Gupta social life
• VERY wealthy civilization
• enjoyed gardens, music,
and daily bathing
• ate lots of variety; rice,
bread, fish, milk, fruits and
juices.
• slave labor
• Hinduism became more
organized & temples
became more important.
• Women lost rights compared
to under Buddhism- SATI
Increased
• Child marriage became
common for girls
• HINDUSIM returns as
dominant religion
Gupta Math/Science
• Invented numbers 1-9, decimal system, pi
• Zero invented by Aryabata
• Charted planets and star movements
• recognized the Earth is round and rotates
on its axis and revolves around sun.
• Indian physicians excelled in medicines,
caesarean section, bone setting, and skin
grafting, smallpox vaccination
• Started Hospitals
Gupta Buddhist Art
• AJANTA CAVES
• depict the stories of
Buddhism spanning from
the period from 200 bce
to 650 ce.
AJANTA
CAVES
.
• During the 4th century
c.e.
• Buddhist monasteries
and prayer halls.
• twenty-nine caves
• adorned with elaborate
painting and sculptures
Ajanta Caves
• The Ajanta caves
depict the stories of
Buddhism spanning
from the period from
200 bce to 650 ce.
• The 29 caves were
built by Buddhist
monks using simple
tools like hammer &
chisel.
• The elaborate and
exquisite sculptures
and paintings depict
stories from Jataka
tales.
• The caves also house
images of nymphs and
princesses.
the Sarnath Buddha
Gupta Decline
Later Gupta rulers lived extravagantly,
which weakened the people’s loyalty.
– Guptas weakened by the expense of
the War with White Huns and
competing India kingdoms
White Huns c. 500ce invade
through Kyber Pass and Ganges Valley
• destroyed cities and reduced Hindu
temples to rubble.
• Feudal provinces declare
independence when Gupta are
destroyed
• India seperates into independent
kingdoms.
• not unified again until the Muslims
in the 11th century