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Section 1

India’s First Empires The Mauryas and the Guptas establish empires, but neither unifies India permanently.

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The Mauryan Empire Is Established

India’s First Empires

Chandragupta Maurya Seizes Power • In 321 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya seizes power,

starts Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta Maurya Unifies North India • Chandragupta defeats Seleucus I; north India

united for first time • Chandragupta uses taxes to support his large army

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Running the Empire • Chandragupta’s chief adviser is Kautilya, a priest • Chandragupta creates bureaucratic government • He divides the government to make it easier to rule

Continued . . .

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continued The Mauryan Empire Is Established

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Life in the City and the Country • A Greek ambassador writes glowing praise of the

empire • Chandragupta’s son rules from 301 to 269 B.C., 32

years • Asoka—Chandragupta’s grandson, brings the

empire to its height

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

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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,

other parts of Asia • Tamils—a people living in southern India—

remain separate and frequently war with rival peoples

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The Gupta Empire Is Established

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Chandra Gupta Builds an 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

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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

continued The Gupta Empire Is Established

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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

continued The Gupta Empire Is Established

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Indian religions, culture, and science evolve and spread to other regions through trade.

Section 2

Trade Spreads Indian Religions and Culture

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Buddhism and Hinduism Change

Trade Spreads Indian Religions and Culture

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

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Continued . . .

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continued Buddhism and Hinduism Change

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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

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continued Buddhism and Hinduism Change

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

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Achievements of Indian Culture Literature and the Performing Arts • Kalidasa—poet and dramatist, one of India’s

greatest writers • His skillful and emotionally stirring plays still

popular • Madurai writing academies create literature;

2,000 Tamil poems survive • Drama and dance troupes gain popularity and

travel widely

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Continued . . .

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continued Achievements of Indian Culture

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

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The Spread of Indian Trade India’s Valuable Resources • India has spices, diamonds, precious stones, and

good quality wood

Overland Trade, East and West • Trade routes called Silk Roads connect Asia and

Europe • Indians build trading posts to take advantage of

the Silk Roads

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Sea Trade, East and West • Indian merchants carry goods to Rome by sea • Merchants trade by sea with Africa, Arabia,

China, Southeast Asia

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continued The Spread of Indian Trade

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

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Section 3

Han Emperors in China

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The Han Restore Unity to China

Han Emperors in China

Troubled Empire • In Qin Dynasty peasants resent high taxes and harsh

labor, rebel

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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

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The Empress Lü • Liu Bang dies in 195 B.C.; wife Lü seizes control

of empire • Empress Lü rules for her young son, outlives him • Palace plots and power plays occur throughout

Han Dynasty

continued The Han Restore Unity to China

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The Martial Emperor • 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

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A Highly Structured Society Emperor’s Role • Chinese believe their emperor has authority to

rule from god • Believe prosperity reward of good rule; troubles

reveal poor rule

Structures of Han Government • Complex bureaucracy runs Han government • People pay taxes and supply labor, military service • Government uses peasant labor to carry out public

projects

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Confucianism, the Road to Success • 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

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Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture Technology Revolutionizes Chinese Life • Invention of paper in A.D. 105 helps spread

education • Collar harness, plow, wheelbarrow improve

farming

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Agriculture Versus Commerce • 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

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The Han Unifies Chinese Culture Bringing Different Peoples Under Chinese Rule • To unify empire, Chinese government encourages

assimilation • Assimilation—integrating conquered peoples into

Chinese culture • Writers encourage unity by recording Chinese history

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Women’s Roles—Wives, Nuns, and Scholars • Most women work in the home and on the farm • Some upper-class women are educated, run shops,

practice medicine

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The Fall of the Han and Their Return The Rich Take Advantage of the Poor • Large landowners gain control of more and more land • Gap between rich and poor increases

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Wang Mang Overthrows the Han • Economic problems and weak emperors cause

political instability • In A.D. 9, Wang Mang seizes power and stabilizes

empire • Wang Mang is assassinated in A.D. 23; Han soon

regain control

The Later Han Years • Peace restored, Later Han Dynasty lasts until A.D. 220