India First Empires

8/10/2019 India First Empires

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Chapter Opener

Asoka: TheBuddhist King ofIndia

Buddhism turnedAsoka, thebloodthirsty king ofancient Indias

Mauryan Empire,into a peace-lovingruler.


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Section 1: Indias First Empires


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The Mauryan Empire is Established

Chandragupta MauryaSeizes Power In 321 B.C.

Chandragupta Mauryaseizes power, startsMauryan Empire

Chandragupta MauryaUnifies North India Chandragupta defeats

Seleucus I; north India

is united for the firsttime Chandragupta uses

taxes to support hislarge army


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Running the Empire Chandraguptas chief adviser is Kautilya,

a priest Chandragupta creates a bureaucratic

government He divides the government to make it

easier to rule


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Life in the City andthe Country A Greek ambassador

writes glowing praise of

the empire Chandraguptas son

rules from 301 to 269B.C., (32 years)

A oka Chandraguptasgrandson, brings theempire to its height

Mahabodhi Temple, site of first temple built

by Asoka (3 rd century B.C.) on spot ofBuddhas enlightenment. Bihar, India


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Asoka Promotes Buddhism 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


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A Period of Turmoil

The Breakup of the Mauryan Empire Asoka dies in 232 B.C.; kingdoms in

central India soon break away The Andhra Dynasty dominates central

India for centuries Northern India receives immigrants

from Greece and other parts of Asia Tamils a people living in southern

India remain separate and frequentlywar with rival peoples.


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The Gupta Empire isEstablished

Chandra Gupta Buildsan Empire Chandra Gupta

marries into kingship

in north India in A.D.320 Starts Gupta

Empire Indiassecond empire;

flowering of Indiancivilization, especiallyHindu culture (seenext slide)

His son SamudraGupta expandsempire with conquest


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Radha and Krishna in the grove.

Painting (about 1780)


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Daily Life in India 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


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Height of the Gupta Empire 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

India First Empires

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