India's First Empire By: Sydney

MAIN IDEA#1 #1 The Mauryan dynasty built India's first great empire. Chandragupta Maurya was and Indian prince who conquered a large area in the Ganges River valley. Maurya found the Mauryan dynasty in 321 b.c. Or a series of rulers from the same family. Chandragupta set up a government where rulers run everything from a Capital City. He had a strong army and a good spy system.

MAIN IDEA#1 Many historians think the empires greats king was Asoka. He ruled from 273 b.c. To 232 b.c. Asoka was a strong military leader, after one bloody fight and him seeing the dead and the wounded he was horrified and made a vow.

Main Idea#1 Asoka helped all people from humans, to animals, anyone, and made a hospital for humans and even for animals. He also built roads so it's easier to trade. He had teachers teach. He had people who made stupas or shrines. He died in 232 b.c.

Main Idea#2 #2 The Gupta empire reunited much of northern India and became wealthy through trade. For 500 years India was in different parts and it was not united as one. There were small kingdoms with rulers. Chandragupta was more powerful than any of the others. He chose to rule from the old capital Pataliputra. When he died his son, Samudragupta, took over the throne and made the empire greater or larger in northern India.

Main Idea#2 Gupta empire grew wealthy from trade. Salt, cloth, and iron were common traded goods in India. Trade created jobs for people in India and made many people and cities prosperous. Pilgrims used trade routes to travel to a religious shrine or site.

Main Idea#2 Guptas were Hindus like many of their subjects. They gave their full support to Hinduism and gave money to support Hindu scholars and Hindu shrines. Art and science began to develop in the Gupta empire.

Main Idea#3 #3 The Mauryan and Gupta empires made important contributions in literature, mathematics, and science. Artists, builders, scientists, and writers, produced many works while the Mauryan and Gupta kings ruled.

Main Idea#3 Vedas of India are sacred verses, hymns, prayers and teachings. They are recorded in Sanskrit. Two sacred texts are: Mahabharata- long sacred text about 88,000 verses. and Ramayana.

Main Idea#3 Mahabharata influences Indian philosophy in modern times. Kalidasa wrote plays, poems, love stories, and comedies. One popular poem is The Cloud Messenger it contains beautiful desciptions of northern India’s mountains, forests, and rivers.

Main Idea#3 A lot of Indian art was made of materials that have not survived. Today most religious art is made out of stone. Images of with many hands were created to show that the deities had many abilities.

Main Idea#3 Indian math made important contributions. Aryabhata was the leading mathematician of the Gupta empire. He was one of the first scientists known to have used algebra.

Main Idea#3 Aryabhatas number symbols is known today as Hindu-Arabic numerical system. Indians invented math algorithms which is a series of steps that solve a problem. Indians understood that the earth was round and revolved around the sun.

Main Idea#3++++++++ AN iron pillar in Delhi, dating from around A.D. 400, was so well made that it hardy rusted. The Gupta also made sophisticated gold coins and metal mirrors. In the field of medicine, doctors were advanced for their time.