1. India’s First Empires pgs 189-192 I. Mauryan Empire Chandragupta Maurya killed Nanda king Claimed throne in 321bc A. Maurya Unifies North India 1. battled and defeated Seleucus I in 303bc for control of northern India 2. raised a vast army; 600,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 cavalry and 9,000 elephants 3. high taxes

2. B. Running the Empire 1. advisor-Kautilya wrote Arthasastra 2. Kautilya’s advice tough minded policies C. Life in the City and the Country 1. Megasthenes, Roman ambassador 2. description of Chandragupta’s city 3. 269bc grandson Asoka takes Empire to its height

3. D. Asoka promotes Buddhism 1. slaughter at Kalinga 2. (p69) Buddhism, “peace to all beings” 3. improved roads for travel and communication 4. empire failed after his death in 232bc.

4. II.Gupta Empire Chandra Gupta (no relation), oversaw a great flowering of Indian civilization and Hindu culture A. Chandra Gupta Builds an Empire 1. power base along the Ganges 2. “Great King of Kings” in 320ad 3. son, Samudra Gupta took over in 335ad 4. Samudra Gupta was warlike, ruled for 40 years

5. B. Daily Life in India 1. lived in small villages 2. majority of the people were farmers 3. were families patriarchal 4. droughts, irrigation, taxes on water, and crops 5. southern India,or matriarchal

6. III.Height of the Gupta Empire A.Chandra Gupta II ruled from 375 to 415ad 1.profitable trade 2.strength through peace and negotiation 3.Gupta period was a period of achievement in(?) 4.After Chandra Gupta’s death Hunas invaded, empire ended in 535ad.