AUGUST 18, 2016 You will need paper and pencil Get out Buddhism/Hinduism Venn Diagram Maurya/Gupta Empires Notes HW: Vocab & Textbook Notes due 8/26

India Before the Mauryan Dynasty (Background Info) Northern India had been battle ground for rival rajas since Aryan invasion Persian invasion in 6th century B.C. 327 Alexander the Great destroys Persian Empire in India When Alexander leaves, there is a political power vacuum

Chandragupta Maurya Founder of Maurya Empire Creates first unified Indian empire Established a well- ordered bureaucracy

The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) Grandson of Chandragupta Represents high point of Mauryan Empire, r. 268-232 BCE Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south Positive leadership integrated Indian society

The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE

Asoka Religious conversion after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE. Dedicated his life to Buddhism Helped spread the religion around India Appealing to lower castes Built extensive roads Brought peace and unity to the region

Asoka’s law code Wrote law code on rocks or pillars Called edicts Buddhist principles dominate his laws Built Buddhist memorials called stupas

Decline of the Mauryan Empire Economic crisis follows death of Asoka Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire Disappears by 185 BCE Area reverts back to regional rajas

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 540 CE

Gupta Rulers Chandra Gupta I Chandra Gupta II Hindu revival r. 320 – 335 CE “Great King of Kings” Chandra Gupta II r. 375 - 415 CE Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world Hindu revival “Golden Age of India”

Life in Gupta India Trade flourished (time of the Silk Roads) Establishment of multiple universities Wealth from trade went to promoting the arts Gupta artistic style influenced many parts of Asia

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

Gupta Achievements Gupta India Literature Medicine Astronomy 1000 diseases classified 500 healing plants identified Printed medicinal guides Kalidasa Literature Plastic Surgery Medicine Inoculations Gupta India C-sections performed Solar Calendar Astronomy Mathematics Decimal System The earth is round PI = 3.1416 Concept of Zero

Gupta Decline Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5th c. CE Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16th c.