Empires of India

Geography of India Located in Southern Asia Hindu Kush Mountain Range Ganges River (East) Indus River (West) – Flooding of rivers Deccan plateau – Dry area Monsoons- heavy rainfall and winds

Early Societies Harappa and Mohenjo Daro – Located in Indus Valley Carefully planned cities Economy- Agriculture – Used silt from annual flooding Advanced plumbing system Well organized government – Ruled by divine guidance- Theocracy

Aryan Civilization Society who moved into the Indus River Valley following the collapse of Harrappa and Mohenjo Daro Sanskrit- ancient writing language – Vedas (Collection of hymns and prayers) Created the iron plow- allowed farmers to move into dense jungle areas Used irrigation in farming Families – Extended family all lived together

Social Classes Caste system- rigid social structure, can not move between classes Varnas- 4 sections of society Higher the caste the greater religious purity (Based off of Hinduism) – Priests – Warriors – Merchants/ farmers – Peasants/ servants *Untouchables- so impure not in the caste system, demeaning jobs

Mauryan Empire Great trading empire, provinces ruled by governors Bureaucratic Government – Hand chose rulers and officials – 4 provinces- 4 princes – Capital- Pataliputra Chandragupta Maurya- founder 321 B.C. – Fear of assassination- food always tasted for poison, never slept in the same place 2 nights in a row, secret police

Mauryan Empire Continued Asoka- Considered greatest Indian ruler – Converted Empire to Buddhism- Tolerance of non- Buddhist – No warfare Creation of road system – “pit stops” over all care for the people Declined following Asoka’s death – 500 years of war and problems to follow – Very weak rulers

Gupta Empire Candragupta- founder 320 A.D. Placed the capital were the palace of the Mauryan empire was (Pataliputra) “Empire of Luxury”- Golden Age of India Use of The Silk Road in trading – Salt, cloth, and iron trade Decline- Invaded by the Huns, 5 th Century

Accomplishments of the Gupta Literature – Shakuntala Astronomy- use of a calendar, developed weeks and hours Architecture- stupa – housed relics of Buddha, domed shaped Medicine – Catalog of diseases and more than 500 plants Performing of surgery – Including plastic surgery Mathematics- Decimal point system and the concept of 0

Mughal Empire Mughals Invaded – Akbar- greatest ruler of the Muhgals (Fair and Just ruler) – Shah Jahan- ruler who built the Taj Mahal Tomb for his wife Took 22 years to build Walls and floors are inlayed with precious stones *Overthrown by his own son