Indian MonsoonsIndian Monsoons

Chandragupta: 321-298 BCEChandragupta: 321-298 BCEChandragupta: 321-298 BCEChandragupta: 321-298 BCE

Unified northern India.Unified northern India.

Defeated the PersianDefeated the Persian general general SeleucusSeleucus..

Divided his empire intoDivided his empire into provinces, then districts provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.

He feared assassination [like SaddamHe feared assassination [like Saddam Hussein] Hussein] food tasters, slept in different food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc. rooms, etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & became gave up his throne & became a Jain. a Jain.

The Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

KautilyaKautilyaKautilyaKautilya Chandragupta’s advisor.Chandragupta’s advisor.

Brahmin caste.Brahmin caste.

Wrote Wrote The Treatise onThe Treatise on Material Gain Material Gain or the or the ArthashastraArthashastra..

A guide for the king and his ministers:A guide for the king and his ministers:

Supports royal power.Supports royal power.

The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchyanarchy..

Therefore, a single authority is Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when needed to employ force when necessary! necessary!

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) Religious conversion Religious conversion after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga in in 262 BCE. 262 BCE.

((After his empire was After his empire was

completecomplete))

Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to Buddhism. Buddhism.

Built extensive roads.Built extensive roads.

ConflictConflict how to balance Kautilya’s how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person? become a selfless person?

AsokaAsoka’s ’s

EmpirEmpiree

AsokaAsoka’s ’s

EmpirEmpiree

Asoka’s law Asoka’s law codecode

Asoka’s law Asoka’s law codecode Edicts scattered inEdicts scattered in

more than 30 places more than 30 places in India, Nepal, in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan. Pakistan, & Afghanistan.

Written mostly inWritten mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic. Greek and Aramaic.

10 rock edicts.10 rock edicts.

Each pillar [Each pillar [stupastupa] is 40’-50’ high.] is 40’-50’ high.

Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his laws.laws.

One of One of AsokaAsoka’s’sStupStup

asas

One of One of AsokaAsoka’s’sStupStup

asas

Post Asoka IndiaPost Asoka India

Turmoil and Turmoil and

Decentralization Decentralization 220 220 BCEBCE – 320 – 320 CECE

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Tamils

Tamils

The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.

The Gupta The Gupta Empire EmergesEmpire Emerges

320 CE – 647 CE320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CEGupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CEGupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CEGupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta RulersGupta RulersGupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II

r. 320 – 335 CEr. 320 – 335 CE

“ “Great King of Kings”Great King of Kings”

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II

r. 375 - 415 CEr. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade withProfitable trade with the Mediterranean the Mediterranean world! world!

Hindu revival.Hindu revival.

Huns invade – 450 CE Huns invade – 450 CE (signals the beginning of the (signals the beginning of the end of the Gupta’s “Golden end of the Gupta’s “Golden Age”)Age”)

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia Chinese Buddhist monkChinese Buddhist monk traveled along the traveled along the

Silk Road and visited India in the 5c (CE) Silk Road and visited India in the 5c (CE)

He was following the pathHe was following the path of the Buddha. of the Buddha.

He reported the people to He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and inclined towards courtesy and charity. charity.

But He also indicated But He also indicated that the that the caste systemcaste system was was rapidly assuming its basic features, including rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

Chandra Gupta Chandra Gupta 1111

Chandra Gupta Chandra Gupta 1111

International Trade International Trade RoutesRoutes during the during the

Guptas Guptas 320 – 647 CE320 – 647 CE

International Trade International Trade RoutesRoutes during the during the

Guptas Guptas 320 – 647 CE320 – 647 CE

Extensive Trade: 4cExtensive Trade: 4c Extensive Trade: 4cExtensive Trade: 4c

spices

spices

spicesspices

gold & gold &

ivoryivory gold & gold & ivoryivory

rice & rice & wheatwheat

horseshorses

cotton cotton

goodsgoods

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

KalidasaKalidasaKalidasaKalidasa

The greatest of Indian poets.The greatest of Indian poets.

His most famous play was His most famous play was ShakuntalaShakuntala..

During the reign of Chandra Gupta II. During the reign of Chandra Gupta II.

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &

architecture.architecture.

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature

MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal

guidesguides

1000 1000 diseasesdiseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformedperformed

InoculationsInoculations

500 healing500 healingplants plants

identifiedidentified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero

PI = PI = 3.14163.1416

KalidasaKalidasa

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The earthThe earthis roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas Invasion of the Invasion of the White HunsWhite Huns in the 4c in the 4c

signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Guptas defeated even though at first, the Guptas defeated them.them.

After the declineAfter the decline of the Gupta empire, of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.Muslims in the 7c.

Yet another example of a shift from Yet another example of a shift from centralization to decentralization!centralization to decentralization!

CreditsCredits

This presentation was created by: This presentation was created by:

Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS

Chappaqua, NY

This presentation was redesigned by:Kevin Sacerdote

Mandarin High SchoolJacksonville, FL