The Maurya Empire 321 BCE 185 BCE The
The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE
The Mauryan Empire • 326 B. C. • Alexander the Great invades India • leaves soon after due to exhaustion of supplies
The Mauryan Empire • Alexander’s attack motivated CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA to centralize the kingdoms of India and eliminate the remaining Greek armies. - Used elephants as a means of cavalry
Ashoka • Chandragupta Maurya’s grandson, _________, discontinued trend of expanding the empire • Horrified by the brutality of warfare • Abandoned fighting • Becomes Buddhist
Ashoka’s Accomplishments • Improved the lives of people; • inscribed codes of right conduct on pillars (stones) across the empire – Edicts • Centralized power and built up trade • Sent Buddhist missionaries all over Asia to spread the religion
Spread of Buddhism under Ashoka
The Rise of the Gupta Empire • The Mauryan Empire declined as Ashoka’s sons fought for power
Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE
Gupta Rule • Fair and prosperous • Hinduism, but religiously tolerant • TRADE (Outside Influence) • Known for various cultural and scientific achievements
Gupta Advances • HINDU-ARABIC NUMERALS • Sanskrit Language • Indian astronomers found the Earth was round and revolves around the sun (almost 1, 000 years before Europeans discovered the same!)
Extensive Trade: 4 c sp ic es rice & whea horses t vory i & gold ods o g on cott s silk ods o g on t t o c spices gold & ivory
Gupta Art Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.
500 healing plants identified 1000 diseases classified Printed medicinal guides Plastic Surgery Gupta Achievements Kalidasa Literature Medicine Inoculations Gupta India C-sections performed Decimal System Mathematics Concept of Zero PI = 3. 1416 Solar Calendar Astronomy The earth is round
Gupta Decline • Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5 th c. CE • Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines
MUGHAL EMPIRE • Gupta Empire ends • India broke into a number of small kingdoms. • Muslim traders settled in Indian towns and lived peaceably with the Hindus and Buddhists.
Arrival of Islam • Early 700 s: Muslims begin to enter the area that is now Pakistan • Around 1000 CE, pour into Northern India. • By the 1200 s, most of Northern India was under Muslim control.
New Government • Muslims established a new government for Northern India called the __________ • Very tolerant of religion and culture • A blending of Muslim and Indian culture • Remained strong for almost 300 years!!! • Delhi Sultanate ends Mughal Empire begins
AKBAR’S ACHIEVEMENTS • INCREDIBLE religious tolerance! • Increased territory • Increased the Empire’s wealth
After Akbar… • ______ took the throne. – Period of incredible advances in art and architecture – Came at the expense of high taxes – Did NOT practice religious tolerance (he was MUSLIM)
The TAJ MAHAL • Indian, Persian, and Muslim architectural styles • Tomb for Shah Jahan’s beloved wife
The Beginning of the End • As Shah Jahan became old, his sons fought for the throne • ________ seized power – Military conquests to expand the empire – INTENSELY Muslim – Persecuted Hindus and others
DECLINE OF THE MUGHALS • Frequent rebellions broke out • Invaders entered from the North • British trading colonies began building up and soon India fell under control of the ever expanding BRITISH EMPIRE!
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