1. Early Empires of South Asia

2. Identifying Essential Information
Read pages
Using any note taking technique we have used in class
Identify
Leaders
Accomplishments
Decline
of the Maurya Empire and Gupta Empire

3. Maurya Empire From 321-200 BC – Chandragupta Maurya founded empire
Major Accomplishments
United Northern Plains – large empire
Government – tax collecting, trade, military
Architecture – buildings, palaces
Economy – irrigation, trade
Religion – spread of Buddhism

5. Asoka: 269B.C -232 B.C.
Brought empire to height of its power

7. Asoka: 269B.C -232 B.C. Brought empire to height of its power + united
Military power
He embraced Buddhism after witnessing the mass deaths of the war of Kalinga
Tolerance “All faiths deserve to be honored for one reason or another”
Promoted Buddhism
spread to missionaries to China and Southeast Asia = diffusion – built stupas

8. Asoka
Asoka's Major Rock Edict at Junagadh contains inscriptions by Asoka
Asoka
The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 269 BCE to 231 BCE.
These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan and represent the first tangible evidence of Buddhism. The edicts describe in detail the first wide expansion of Buddhism through the sponsorship of one of the most powerful kings of Indian history.
Sanchi Gate and Stupa, built at time of Asoka

9. Ashoka's Major Rock Edict at Junagadh contains inscriptions by Ashoka
Asoka
The four animals in the Lion Capital are believed to symbolize different phases in Lord Buddha’s life.. National Emblem of India
Sanchi Gate and Stupa, built at time of Asoka

10. Decline After Asoka’s death empire lasted 50 more years
Followed by 500 years of unrest with many invaders

11. Gupta Empire From 320-535 AD – Northern India Leader: Chandragupta I
Trade = Peace and prosperity
Leader: Chandragupta I
Major Accomplishments
Government – well organized
Art & Architecture – buildings, palaces, paintings of daily life, literature
Mathematics – “0”, size/shape earth, Arabic numerals
Trade – with Arabs = diffusion

13. Decline Conquered by the Huns from Central Asia
1000 years of fighting among rival Indian princes

14. Muslim Expansion into India
**Second significant migration to
South Asia

15. Expansion Starting in 600’s Muslim invaders to South Asia
Mongols, Turks, Afghans, Persians

16. Delhi Sultans Sultan -Muslim ruling monarch From 1200-1500
No forced conversion – special taxes (jizya) on non-Muslims
Major Accomplishments
Government – toleration, military, services (education, irrigation, hospitals)
Sultan Firuz Tughlak
Architecture – buildings, palaces
Economy – irrigation, trade with Middle East
Religion – Islam; cause of future conflicts

17. Mongol Invasion 1398 – Tamerlane – Destroyed and left
Timur the Lame
Destroyed and left
“The lightning speed with which Tamerlane’s armies struck Delhi was prompted by their desire to escape the stench of rotting corpses they were leaving behind them.
Sultans back in power for short time but fragmented

18. Incompatibilities BETWEEN ISLAM AND HINDUISM
Polytheistic -worship many gods,
caste system
born into the religion- no idea of conversion
Diet
cow is sacred
Monotheistic - worship one God
all people are seen as equal under the eyes of God
dietary restrictions
proselytizers-seek to convert others
Creedal - statement of beliefs

19. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ISLAM AND HINDUISM
Resulted in conflict and destruction

20. Mughal Empire Also Mongol Last Muslim Empire in South Asia
Persian word for Mongol
Last Muslim Empire in South Asia
1527 – 1800’s: at height united most of South Asia
Founded by Babur – Battle of Panipat

21. Akbar the Great

23. Akbar the Great – 1556-1605 Golden Age of Mughal Empire
Ruling innovations - compromise
religious toleration
Eliminated tax on non-Muslims
Hindus in government
Supported Hindu poets/artists
Cultural Blending
Architecture – Indian style
Urdu: language – Hindi and Persian

24. Akbar the Great –
Divine Faith: combination of several faiths – universal religion
Hope to end religious conflict
Died with Akbar
No mass conversion to Islam

26. Taj Mahal Shah Jahan – Akbar’s grandson
Agra – mausoleum to his wife Mumtaz Mahal

28. Virtual Tour Taj Mahal Mosque
National Geographic Secrets of the Taj Mahal Part 1
National Geographic Secrets of the Taj Mahal Part 4
National Geographic Secrets of the Taj Mahal Whole Vid
Start 1:37 – 5:25 add Shah Jahan to -
Then 28:00 – 38:00

29. Taj Mahal
Year of Construction: Completed In: 1653 Time Taken: 22 years Built By: Shah Jahan Dedicated to: Mumtaz Mahal the wife of Shah Jahan Location: Agra (Uttar Pradesh) Building Type: Islamic tomb

30. Shah Jahan

31. Taj Mahal

32. Results of Mughal Diversity is the norm Cultural blending
Separation will be emphasized

33. Mughal Decline By 1700’s Wasteful spending Loss of tolerance
Tax on Hindus, closed Hindu schools, Hindus out of government
Hindu princes revolted
Civil war among Muslim princes
All weakened empire = opened the door for Europeans
British East Indian Company

34. Identify similarities between the Empires
Maurya, Gupta, Mughal
Crash Course Mongols