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The Maurya Empire | 325-185 BCE Conquerors Turned Compassionate. India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great. India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great. What geographical features do you think helped save India from invasion for so long?. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The Maurya Empire | 325-185 BCEConquerors Turned Compassionate
India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great
India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great
What geographical features do you think helped save India from invasion for so long?
India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great
India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great
Alexander conquered his way into India (present day Pakistan) in 330 BCE
India’s Geography saved it from invasion…until Alexander the Great
Alexander conquered his way into India (present day Pakistan) in 330 BCE
However, Alexander’s empire didn’t last long after his death in 323 BCE
The fall of Alexander’s empire left space for another powerful ruler to sweep in…
The fall of Alexander’s empire left space for another powerful ruler to sweep in…
That ruler was Chandragupta Maurya, the first leader of the Mauryan Dynasty
The Maurya Empire under Chandragupta
Chandragupta ruled the Maurya Empire from 320-298 BCE
The Maurya Empire under Chandragupta
Chandragupta ruled the Maurya Empire from 320-298 BCE
In that time he conquered most of present day Northern India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh
The Maurya Empire under Chandragupta
Chandragupta ruled the Maurya Empire from 320-298 BCE
In that time he conquered most of present day Northern India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh
The capital of the Maurya Empire was Pataliputra
The Maurya Empire under Chandragupta
Chandragupta ruled the Maurya Empire from 320-298 BCE
In that time he conquered most of present day Northern India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh
The capital of the Maurya Empire was Pataliputra
Chandragupta’s son, Bindusara ruled from 298-269 BCE – but no notable expansion occurred until the next ruler…
Ashoka the Great269-232 BCE
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETsvZgTFDvk
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He expanded the empire to cover almost all of present
day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh!
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He expanded the empire to cover almost all of present
day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh!
An empire of this extent was not seen again from approximately 1800
years!
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He expanded the empire to cover almost all of present
day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh!
What geographical features would have made this difficult?
An empire of this extent was not seen again from approximately 1800
years!
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He expanded the empire to cover almost all of present
day India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh!
What geographical features would have made this difficult?
Great Indian Desert
Himalayan Mountains
Vindhya Mountains
Deccan Plateau
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
After seeing so much death and violence during his military campaigns to expand the empire, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and adopted the Buddhist belief that
killing is wrong.
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
After seeing so much death and violence during his military campaigns to expand the empire, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and adopted the Buddhist belief that
killing is wrong.
From that point on, Ashoka’s goal was to make life better for the people of his empire…
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
After seeing so much death and violence during his military campaigns to expand the empire, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and adopted the Buddhist belief that
killing is wrong.
From that point on, Ashoka’s goal was to make life better for the people of his empire…
How did he make life better in his empire? Read about Ashoka on page 346 of your
textbook and discuss with a partner…
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He required that his officials be kind to others
He improved villages by having wells dug and
trees planted
He offered free medical aid to his people
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He also expanded Buddhism throughout his empire and
beyond it
He devoted himself and his government to the principle of dharma (duty) to prevent the killing/eating of animals, to
practise religious tolerance, and to be kind to his people.
Why was Ashoka the Great so great?
He placed inscribed pillars throughout the empire
declaring Buddhist texts, laws, and his own ideas
about life and justice
These pillars came to be known as the edicts of Ashoka
Remember this?
A familiar symbol was found on many of Ashoka’s pillars…where have you seen this before?
Remember this?
A familiar symbol was found on many of Ashoka’s pillars…where have you seen this before?
The Ashoka chakra is in the middle of the Indian flag …it’s a symbol of Ashoka’s Buddhist empire
Decline of the Maurya Empire
The empire did not last long after Ashoka’s death. No one could hold the empire together quite like he could.
Decline of the Maurya Empire
The empire did not last long after Ashoka’s death. No one could hold the empire together quite like he could.
6 different rulers tried to run the Maurya empire over the next 50 years, but eventually the empire lost its power in 185 BCE.
Decline of the Maurya Empire
The empire did not last long after Ashoka’s death. No one could hold the empire together quite like he could.
6 different rulers tried to run the Maurya empire over the next 50 years, but eventually the empire lost its power in 185 BCE.
Centuries of war followed, until another leader named Chandragupta conquered Northern India 500 years after the fall of the Maurya empire.
Decline of the Maurya Empire
The empire did not last long after Ashoka’s death. No one could hold the empire together quite like he could.
6 different rulers tried to run the Maurya empire over the next 50 years, but eventually the empire lost its power in 185 BCE.
Centuries of war followed, until another leader named Chandragupta conquered Northern India 500 years after the fall of the Maurya empire.
The End
