1. Chapter 7: India and China Establish Empires

2. Essential Questions:
How did the Mauryan Empire, the Golden Age, and Asoka affect the development of India?
How did the development of Hinduism and Buddhism affect India?
How did the Han dynasty affect China?

3. I. Chandragupta Maurya Builds an Empire
A. Chandragupta Unifies North India
Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus, Alexander the Great’s general
321 BC- Chandragupta wins, claiming land in Indus River valley= Mauryan Empire
Empire stretched 2,000+ miles uniting North India under one ruler- Chandragupta

4. B. Running the Empire
divided empire into 4 provinces, each headed by a royal prince
Each province divided into local districts, officials imposed taxes, enforced laws
Adviser named Kautilya writes a rulers handbook that recommended spying on the people and employing political assassination.

5. C. Life in the Mauryan Empire
Not much known b/c of a lack of records
capital city very beautiful
large army assembled
farmers exempt from military service
heavy taxes to pay for army and building projects

6. II. Asoka Runs the Empire
Asoka, Chandragupta’s grandson, took control of Mauryan Empire
At first ruled much like his grandfather, waging bloody wars to expand his empire
Began to study Buddhism, which taught nonviolence

7. built large pillars with his new policies of equality, nonviolence, religious toleration written on them
He also had roads built that connected the 4 corners of India
After Asoka’s death a power struggle began
For the next 500 years Greeks, Persians, and Asians invaded northern India

8. III. The Gupta Empire
After the 500 years of turmoil, another strong leader arose to form India’s 2nd great empire, the Gupta Empire
Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation)

9. A. Chandra Gupta Builds an Empire
Chandra Gupta came to power by marrying into an influential royal family
Took the title “Great King of Kings” in 320 AD
Included the city of Magadha and the area north of it, central region of the Ganges River being the power basin.
335 AD Gupta’s son took over- a lover of poetry and music, but had a warlike side too

10. B. Daily Life in India
Gupta Empire is 1st period from which historians have information on daily life
Lived in small villages
Merchants, craftsppl clustered in districts, shops street level, homes in rooms above
Families were patriarchal- house hold run by the eldest male
Whole family worked in raising crops
Drought common, had to irrigate crops

11. Section Two: Religions In India
I. A More Popular Form of Buddhism
By 250 BC Buddhism and Hinduism were India’s two main faiths
Buddha stressed that each person could reach a state of peace called nirvana.
Bodhisattvas-People who wished to achieve enlightenment and become a Buddha themselves
Two types of Buddhists
Mahayana-Offered salvation to all and allowed popular worship
Theravada- Emphasized individual discipline

12. A. Hindu Rebirth
Hinduism began to change, during this time most practices could only be performed by the priest.
Three most important gods
Brahma- creator of the world
Vishnu- preserver of the world
Shiva- destroyer of the world
People began to devote themselves to Vishnu or Shiva

13. II. Flowering of Indian Culture
A. Literature and Performing Arts
Kalidasa- great Indian poet, wrote Shakuntala
In Southern India they began to hold writing academies, more than 2,000 poems still exist
acting groups began to travel through Southern India, women and men participated in these shows

14. B. Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine
Indians began to use a calendar based on sun rather than on cycles of the moon
7 day week- broke each day into hours
Discovered earth was round, based on shadow on the moon from a lunar eclipse
had medical guides that classified 1,000 diseases and 500 medicinal plants
Knew how to perform surgery-even performed plastic surgery

15. Mathematics Zero, decimal system invented in India
Aryabhata- Skilled mathematician
calculated the value of pi to four decimal places.
Estimated the length of a solar year days.

16. III. The Spread of Indian Trade
A. Overland Trade, East and West
Silk roads- caravan routes that were used by Asian traders
Indians learned of these routes and became middlemen- made huge profits
Rome, Africa, and China were all big traders with India

17. Silk Road- Trade Routes

18. p. 196
P Map Skills- answer the questions in your Journal

19. Section Three: China’s Dynasties
CC- Silk Road

20. I. The Founding of the Han Dynasty
Gov’t fell apart under Qin(chin) Dynasty led to a Civil War
During civil war 2 powerful leaders emerged - Xiang Yu and Liu Bang
two fought for control of China

21. Bang was victorious, declared himself emperor of the Han Dynasty, which ruled China for 400 years
Established a centralized gov’t- adopted Confucian philosophy
Lowered taxes and softened harsh punishments

22. After Liu Bang The Empress Lu Bang died in 195 BC
His son became emperor in name only- real ruler was Bang’s wife, Empress Lu
After her death, loyalist to Liu Bang executed Lu’s existing family

23. A Highly Structured Government
A. Structures of Han Gov’t
Relied on a complex bureaucracy
18 different civil service jobs
This important and efficient element remains in place until 1912

24. III. Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture
A. Technology Revolutionized Chinese Life
Invented paper= helped spread education as paper cheaper than silk
Tsai Lun credited with creation of paper in 104 A.D.
Collar harness made it possible for horse to pull heavier loads
Wheel barrel and windmills

25. Agriculture Versus Commerce
Due to a huge population- farming viewed as most honored occupation
Invention of plow, iron tools, collar harness, wheelbarrow and water mill assist farmers.

26. Commerce
Commerce not seen as important (even thought it really was very important)
Government had a monopoly (complete control) on mining of salt, forging of iron, minting of coins, and brewing of alcohol
Government also had a large part of the silk industry

27. p. 208
Complete the Main Ideas questions on a separate sheet of paper. Write the questions.