INDIA 321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.

Maurya Empire Chandragupta Maurya-King Well organized bureaucracy Village-fundamental unit of government Tax collecting and courts Civil and military organization Effective but harsh Slavery

Asoka-Most honored King Bloody war Converted to Buddhism Missionaries Hospitals Roads and rest houses

Gupta Empire Strong central government Peace and prosperity Power left up to villages Golden Age Great cultural achievements Literature Arabic numerals-1,2,3…. Decimal system-.0123 Surgeons and vaccinations

Decline Split into many kingdoms Weak rulers Civil war Foreign invaders White Huns Destroyed cities and trade Split into many kingdoms

“God is one, but wise people know it by many names” Hinduism “God is one, but wise people know it by many names” Brahman–all-powerful spiritual force Reincarnation-rebirth of the soul in another bodily form Karma-all the actions of one’s life that affects the fate of the next life Dharma-religious and moral duties of an individual

Hindu Practices Temple Worship Recitation of sacred text Pilgrimage Meditation Hindu Practices

Caste System Sense of identity Closely tied to Hindu beliefs Governed everyday life “Untouchables” Ensured a stable social order Sense of identity