1. First Empires of India

2. Chandragupta Maurya
Gathered army and killed Nanda (king) of Magadha kingdom -> claimed throne
Moved N.W. claiming all land from Magadha to India
Maurya Empire stretches 2,000 + miles
Unites north India politically for 1st time
Relied on advisor Kautily (priestly caste member)
Ruler’s handbook called Arthasastra
Created highly bureaucratic government
Chose officials that were closely supervised
Divided empire into 4 provinces lead by prince
Divided provinces into districts in which officials taxed and enforced laws

3. Asoka Takes throne in 269 B.C. – brings kingdom to greatest heights
First followed Kautilya’s philosophy of waging war to expand power
Led successful campaign against neighboring Kalinga
Felt sorrow -> began studying Budhism
Peace and prosperity
Religious toleration -> acceptance of different beliefs
Built roads and improved their conditions
Soon after death empire began to break apart

4. Turmoil
In northern and central India regional kings challenged the imperial government
Central India regains independence
Andhra Dynasty arose and dominated
Profited from trade between north and south India as well as Rome, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia
Northern India had to absorb flood of new people fleeing political instability in other regions of Asia
Disrupted Indian society but also introduced new languages and customs
Southern India rulers began breaking away from the empire after Asoka’s death
Southern tip had 3 kingdoms not conquered by Mauryans
Spoke Tamil or language spoke by Tamil people

5. Gupta Empire (2nd Empire)
After 500 yrs -> strong ruler arose in the Northern state of Magadha
Chandra Gupta
Saw great influence of Hindu culture
Came to power through marriage
Gupta’s son, Samudra, takes power and expands through war

6. Daily Life
1st period in which historians have information about Indian daily life
Lived in small villages
Craftspeople and merchants located in certain districts
Majority of villagers = farmers
Most families = patriarchal
Headed by eldest male
Irrigation caused by drought (tax on water)
Southern India (Tamil) were matriarchal (mother)

7. Height of Empire Chandra Gupta II (3rd Emperor)
Defeated the Shakas and added their west coast territory (Trade between Mediterranean and India)
Negotiated peaceful diplomatic marriage alliances
Ruled for 40 yrs
During reign of 1st 3 emperors India experienced:
Achievement in art, literature, religious thought, science, and mathematics
After death of Gupta II -> India invaded by Hunas who were cousins to Huns

8. Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture

9. Technology Invention of paper A.D. 150 Harnesses = heavier loads
Books become more readily available
Used for record keeping = expansion of Bureuacracy
Harnesses = heavier loads
Plow, improved iron tools, wheelbarrow
Watermills used to grind grain

10. Agriculture vs. Commerce
60 million people = thought that agriculture was most important and honored occupation
Same Confucius scholars said commerce was least important
Monopolies established on the mining of salt, forging of iron, minting of coins, brewing of alcohol
Ran huge silk mills (very valuable item)
Commerce expands through Silk Road

11. Unifying Chinese Culture
Chinese begin to learn about foods, animals, etc. that were common in other lands
Chinese government encourages assimilation or process of making conquered people a part of Chinese culture
Farmers sent to settle new areas
Intermarry with foreign people
Set up schools to teach Confucianism
Writers recorded Chinese history
Sima Qian – “Grand Historian”; recorded history from ancient dynasties to ruling of Wudi

12. Wives, Nuns, Scholars Ban Zhao -> wrote guide “Lessons for Women”
Most women lived quiet lives at home
Confucianism -> women devoted themselves to families
Obey parents in childhood, husband/husband’s parents after marriage
Few upper class women exceeded these expectations
Some became Empresses
Daoist and Buddhist nuns able to get education and live away from family
Some women from aristocratic, land-owning families able to get education

13. Rebellion and Restoration

14. Rich Take Advantage of the Poor
A family’s land was divided equally among all of the father’s male heirs
Each generation inherited smaller plots
Hard time growing enough food
Borrowed money (with high interest rates) from wealthy land-owners
Couldn’t pay it back = loss of land
Wealthy land-owners not required to pay taxes on their land
More land they got = less land government could tax
Government taxed poor even more

15. Wang Mang Overthrows the Han
Political instability begins to grow
Plots to succeed ruler began to happen
Inexperienced rulers continue to gain power
Caused peasant revolts and civil unrest

16. Wang Mang (Confucian scholar)
Took power and ended first half of Han Dynasty
Tried to bring country under control by:
Minting new money to relieve shortage
Set up public granaries to help feed poor
Took large landholdings to redistribute to poor
Problems
Upset wealthy land owners
People able to spend more = merchants raising prices through the roof

17. Problems Continue
A.D. 11 -> Great flood killed thousand and left millions homeless
Granaries did not hold enough food
Wealthy began to rebel
Assassinated Wang Mang in A.D. 23
Member of old imperial family got power and started the 2nd Han Dynasty (Later Han)

18. Later Han Years Peace is restored to China
Government sent soldiers and merchants westward to regain trading posts along Silk Road
Did not make up for social, political, and economic weakness within the empire
By 220 the Later Han dissolves into 3 rival kingdoms
Suffered from same economic, political, and social problems as Form Han dynasty