1. Indian and Chinese Empires
Chapter 7

2. Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta Maurya Seizes Power in 321 B.C., starts Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta defeats Seleucus I; north India united for first time
Chandragupta uses taxes to support his large army

3. Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta’s chief adviser is Kautilya, a priest
Chandragupta creates bureaucratic government
He divides the government to make it easier to rule
Asoka—Chandragupta’s grandson, brings the empire to its height
After a bloody war with Kalinga, Asoka promotes Buddhism and peace
Preaches religious toleration—accepting people of different religions
Builds roads, with wells along them
Asoka dies in 232 B.C.; kingdoms in central India soon break away

4. Gupta Empire
Chandra Gupta marries into kingship in north India in A.D. 320
Starts Gupta Empire—India’s second empire; flowering of Indian civilization, especially Hindu culture
His son Samudra Gupta expands empire with conquest
Majority of Indians are farmers; entire family raises crops together
Families are patriarchal—headed by the eldest male
Farmers have to contribute work to government and pay heavy taxes
Some Tamil families are matriarchal—led by mother rather than father

5. Gupta Empire Height of the Gupta Empire “Golden Age”
Chandra Gupta II rules from A.D. 375–415
He defeats the Shakas and adds western coast to empire
Gupta Empire sees flourishing of arts, religion, and science
After Chandra Gupta II dies, the empire declines

6. Changes in Hinduism and Buddhism
Traditional Hindu and Buddhist Beliefs
Hinduism blends Aryan and other beliefs; belief in many gods
To Buddhists, desire causes suffering but suffering can be overcome
A More Popular Form of Buddhism
Belief in bodhisattvas develops—potential Buddhas who save humanity
Mahayana sect—Buddhists accepting new doctrines of worship, salvation
Theravada sect—Buddhists who follow original teachings of Buddha
Wealthy Buddhist merchants build stupas—stone structures over relics

7. Changes in Hinduism and Buddhism
A Hindu Rebirth
Hinduism is remote from people by time of Mauryan Empire
Hinduism moves toward monotheism; gods part of one divine force
Chief gods:
Brahma—creator of the world
Vishnu—preserver of the world
Shiva—destroyer of the world

8. Indian Culture Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine
During the Mauryan and Gupta empires, poetry, literature, drama, and dancing flourished
Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine
Ocean trade leads to advances in astronomy
Indian astronomers in Gupta Empire prove that world is round
Mathematicians develop idea of zero and decimal system
Doctors write medical guides and make advances in surgery

9. Indian Trade Grows India’s Valuable Resources Effects of Indian Trade
India has spices, diamonds, precious stones, and good quality wood
Trade routes called Silk Roads connect Asia and Europe
Indians build trading posts to take advantage of the Silk Roads
Indian merchants carry goods to Rome by sea
Merchants trade by sea with Africa, Arabia, China, Southeast Asia
Effects of Indian Trade
Increased trade leads to rise of banking
Bankers lend money to merchants, careful of degree of risk
Increased trade spreads Indian culture to other places
Trade brings Hinduism, Buddhism to other lands

10. Han Dynasty Liu Bang Founds the Han Dynasty
In Qin Dynasty peasants resent high taxes and harsh labor, rebel
Liu Bang Founds the Han Dynasty
Liu Bang defeats Xiang Yu, a rival for power, and founds Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty—begins in 202 B.C., lasts 400 years
Han Dynasty has great influence on Chinese people, culture
Liu Bang establishes centralized government—a central authority rules
Liu Bang lowers taxes and reduces punishments to keep people happy
Liu Bang dies in 195 B.C.; wife Lü seizes control of empire
Liu Bang’s great-grandson Wudi rules from 141 to 87 B.C.
“Martial Emperor” Wudi defeats Xiongnu (nomads) and mountain tribes
Colonizes Manchuria, Korea, and as far south as what is now Vietnam
Chinese believe their emperor has authority to rule from god
Believe prosperity reward of good rule; troubles reveal poor rule
Complex bureaucracy runs Han government
People pay taxes and supply labor, military service
Government uses peasant labor to carry out public projects

11. Han Dynasty
Wudi’s government employs 130,000; bureaucracy of 18 ranks of jobs
Civil service jobs—government jobs obtained through examinations
Job applicants begin to be tested on knowledge of Confucianism
Wudi favors Confucian scholars, builds school to train them
Only sons of wealthy can afford expensive schooling
Civil service system works well, continues until 1912
Invention of paper in A.D. 105 helps spread education
Collar harness, plow, wheelbarrow improve farming
As population grows, farming regarded as important activity
Government allows monopolies—control by one group over key industries
Techniques for producing silk become state secret as profits increase
Assimilation—integrating conquered peoples into Chinese culture
Most women work in the home and on the farm
Some upper-class women are educated, run shops, practice medicine
Han dynasty lasts until 220 AD