Transcript Empires in India & China

Empires in India & China
Chapter 7
• Today’s Goal Compare the first two
Indian empires and their rulers.
• Essential Questions  What impacts did
Chandragupta Maurya, Asoka, and
Chandra Gupta have on India? What
similar rise/fall did these two empires
have?
Chandragupta Maurya
• Established
Mauryan Empire
by military success
• Divided empire
into provinces
Kautilya – Chandragupta’s
Advisor
• Arthasastra – describes how a ruler
should govern, laws
• Political assassination,
spies
Asoka
• Converted to Buddhism  helped spread
• Brought empire to
greatest heights
• Built roads,
canals
Asoka’s Rock Edicts
• Religious tolerance, nonviolence, welfare
of his subjects
Principles of Asoka’s Edicts
1)
2)
3)
4)
Buddhist philosophy
Promote general welfare
Promote justice
Ensure security
Fall of Mauryans
• Poor/weak leaders after Asoka
– Regional kings challenged gov’t
– Last leader, Brihadratha, killed by his own general,
Pushyamitra Sunga
• Internal conflicts
– Priests unhappy w/changes in religion
• Refugees from other lands
• Invasions by outsiders &
rival kingdoms
– Weak military due to
emphasis on peace
– No unified defense
Tamil Land
Chandra Gupta I
• Gupta Empire = Golden Age
– Back to Hinduism
– Flowering of Indian culture
– Extensive trade (use of Silk Roads)
Fall of Gupta Empire
• Hephthalites (the “White Huns”) = nomadic
group  invaded Gupta
• Fragmentation/dissolution of empire
– Weak economy
– Disputes within royal family
– Provinces wanted independence
– Small wars between local rulers