World History Quick Response

2/1
Take out a sheet of paper. Put your name
on the paper and title it WHQRs. Place the
date on the left and answer the following
question in one paragraph or less:

What makes a ruler legitimate?

(or what makes people follow a
ruler?)
“In the happiness of his subjects lies [a
king’s] happiness, in their welfare his
welfare. He shall not consider s good that
which pleases him but treat as beneficial
to him whatever pleases his subjects.”
 
- Arthashastra, a Maurya handbook on
governance
Behavior fit for a king

According to Hindu teachings, a ruler’s

duties included maintaining peace and
order by enforcing laws, resisting
invaders, and encouraging economic
growth. Those who successfully
achieved those goals became some of
India’s greatest rulers.
 Mauryan Empire 326-184 BCE
Northern India was the battleground for rival rajahs
wanting control of the Ganges River Valley.
The Greek invasion of Alexander the Great prompted the
Indians to organize into larger units, giving rise to the
first Indian empire.

Chandragupta
Maurya
India’s Unifier
 The Maurya Empire is one of the largest empires ever to exist in South Asia.

 
Chandragupta Maurya first conquered the
Ganges and Indus Valleys.
His son and grandson conquered the Deccans.
A treaty with the Seleucid leaders of the
former Persian Empire ceded parts of
Afghanistan to the Maurya Empire.
Megasthenes reports the capital city as the
greatest Indian city, with schools, libraries,
palaces, temples, 530 towers and 64 gates.
 .
Chandragupta Maurya, the first ruler of the Maurya Empire, was
effective yet harsh
Chandragupta Maurya was helped by his
minister, Kautilya, author of the
Arthashastra.
Roads and harbors were built to facilitate
trade; officials collected taxes. The
government owned all economic
activities.
A brutal secret police force spied on the
emperor’s internal enemies and
punished those who committed crimes
or corruption.
Chandragupta slept in different rooms
each night, had women warriors guard
him, and had servants taste his food
before eating it himself.
The Arthashastra of Kautilya was particularly cold and cunning
Make peace with the equal and the
stronger but make war with the
weaker.
Create a network of spies that included
secret agents disguised as holy men.
Eliminate treacherous ministers by
poisoning the food they prepare for
you and then blame them.
Replenish the treasury by fooling the
farmers or merchants into paying
more taxes.
Get more money by declaring a
something to be sacred, and living on
the donations.
 The Mauryan Empire
• Chandragupta became a Jain
and is said to have fasted to
death.
• The greatest Maurya ruler was
Asoka who became emperor
in 268 BCE.
Asoka was the grandson of
Chandragupta Maurya.

Asoka waged a battle killing at least

100,000 people. He is said to have
been horrified and adopted a policy
of non-violence.
Asoka turned his back on further conquests, converted to Buddhism, rejected violence, and
resolved to rule by moral example.
Much of what we know about Asoka came from his rock edicts, stone pillars offering moral
advice or a promise for a just government.
Asoka showed compassion for all living things.

Asoka encouraged http://www.pbs.org/thes

vegetarianism and stopped toryofindia/gallery/phot
eating meat himself. os/6.html#edicts_of_ash
Asoka supported Buddhism oka
but also tolerated other
religions.
Asoka believed that all people
deserved to be happy and
respect.
Asoka’s support for Buddhism
led the establishment of
Nalanda as a Buddhist
center in India.
Fall of Mauryan Empire
The Empire http://www.pbs.org/thes
toryofindia/gallery/phot
declined after os/8.html#trade_video
Ashoka. http://www.pbs.org/thes
Broke up into toryofindia/gallery/phot
os/8.html#spices
kingdoms.
The area continued
to thrive because of
Trade in Spices.
The Gupta Empire and the Golden Age of Indian Civilization
The second great Indian empire was founded by a man
who took the name Chandragupta Gupta in 320 CE.
The Gupta Empire, though slightly smaller, would reconquer
the territories of the Mauryan Empire.
The greatest Gupta emperor was Chandragupta II, also
known as King Vikramaditya.
The Gupta Empire was looser and milder than Maurya
rule; power was left in the hands of village and city
governments.
The Gupta Empire maintained power through tributary
relationships where the defeated ruler would remain the
leader provided he paid taxes (tribute) and homage to the
emperor.
 Gupta Empire “Theater State”
320 C.E.-600 C.E.
Increased Education,
medicine, literature and
the arts.
Hinduism became more
popular and Buddhism
died out in India.
Central Asian Invaders
ruled after that, but India
very fragmented for
hundreds of years.
Maharajas: Princes—local
kings
Quick Response for 2/3
The Gupta Empire is called a “Theater State” what do
you think that means?
The Guptas used their army to control the core of their
empire, but provincial administration was left to
governors who often made their posts hereditary and
subordinate kingdoms and kinship groups.
Because the Gupta did not have sufficient military force,
they exercised power as a "theater-state,"
redistributing profits and luxury goods from trade and
dazzling its dependents with elaborate ceremonies in
return for gifts and other favors.
Gupta India Achievements & Society
The Golden Age:
 was marked by extensive inventions and
discoveries in science, technology, engineering,
art, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy,
religion and philosophy.
 Life in Gupta India
 Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the
Silk Road and visited India in the 5c.
 He was following the path
of the Buddha.
 He reported the people to
be happy, relatively free of
government oppression, and
inclined towards courtesy and
charity. Other references in
the journal, however, indicate
that the caste system was
rapidly assuming its basic features, including
"untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest
class that is doomed to menial labor.
 Extensive Trade:
4c
sp
ic
es
s
silk
g oods
on
rice & cottspices
whea
horses t
vory gold & ivory
& i
gold
g oods
on
cott
 Gupta
Art

Elaborate temples, stone carved-sometimes look

like caves. Painting increased.
Greatly influenced
Southeast Asian art & architecture.
Education
The highest castes received “scholarly” education—
scriptures.
Nalanda University becomes famous and many come
from China to study there—supported by
contributions from the villages.
Non scholarly education in mathematics, science
warfare, astronomy and medicine was given to many
Kshatriyas, and Some Sudras.
Many were given technical education through Guilds
(what is a Guild?) –metallurgy, diamond and Ivory
cutting, and wood carving are a few examples.
Women were given some education, but could not
recite the Vedas.
Literature and Philosophy
Kalidsa-poet and playwright creates Shakuntala
Prakrit literature-Story of Lord Rama
Kuma Sutra written during this period.

 Philosophy encouraged a return to

Hinduism, but with new
influences.
Bhakti—through Yoga and
meditation /devotion Karma
can be changed.
 Women in the Gupta Period
 Although revered in Literature
women’s status decreased during
this period.
 Veiling was popular among the
elite.
 Sati became more common.
 Marriage was arranged when the
girl was very young.
 500 healing
1000 diseases
classified
Gupta
http://www.pb
s.org/thestory
plants identified
Printed
Achievements
ofindia/gallery medicinal guides Kalidasa
/photos/16.ht
ml#astronomy
Plastic Literature
Surgery Medicine

Inoculations
C-sections Gupta Solar
performed India Calendar

Astronomy
Decimal Mathematics
System
The earth
PI = 3.1416 is round
Concept
of Zero
Differences between North and South
Emerge
Language differences
Clothing and Jewelry
North wear Dohis and South were Saris
North wore entire family fortune as
jewelry.
Religion—North more Krishna—south
Shiva, mixed with more Buddhism and
Jainism.
2/8.

All south from this is named the Middle Kingdom. . .The people are numerous
and happy. . . Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living
creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic. The only
exception is that of the Chandalas. That is the name for those who are (held to
be) wicked men, and live apart from others. When they enter the gate of a city
or a market-place, they strike a piece of wood to make themselves known, so
that men know and avoid them, and do not come into contact with them. In
that country they do not keep pigs and fowls, and do not sell live cattle; in the
markets there are no butchers’ shops and no dealers in intoxicating drink. . .
Only the Chandalas are fishermen and hunters, and sell flesh meat.
1. What similarities can you find in the passage?
2. What differences does Faxian note between the people of the
Middle Kingdom and the Chandalas?