Chapter 4.2 Guided Reading and Review Powerful Empires of India

A. Main Ideas 1. Maurya Dynasty: Location/ Capital: Ganges Valley and the Deccan/Pataliputra Government: Well organized bureaucracy Emperors: Founded by Chandragupta Maurya most honored emperor was Asoka who ruled by moral example and greatly improved life for his people Cause of Decline: When Asoka died, rival princes battled for power and the empire fell apart

A. Main Ideas 2. Kingdoms of the Deccan: Location/ Capital: The Deccan Plateau People: Dravidians; had different language and traditions from the Aryans in the north Tamil Kingdoms: often ruled by a queen; left a rich literary history; trade was important Religion: Hindu and Buddhist traditions linked with the local culture; Rulers where tolerant of all religions

A. Main Ideas 3. Gupta Dynasty: Location/ Capital: Northern India Government: Strong central government, some power left to individual villages and cities Trade and Farming: exported cotton cloth, pottery, and metal- ware to East Africa, the Middle-east, and South-east Asia; Harvested wheat, rice, and sugar cane Arts and Learning: painting on temple walls, collected and recorded fables and folktales in Sanskrit; religious schools also taught medicine, literature, languages, physics, and mathematics

B. Reviewing Key Terms 4. Chandragupta Maurya: Founded the Mauyra Dynasty and forged the first great Indian Empire

B. Reviewing Key Terms 5. Asoka: Extended the holdings of the Maurya dynasty, eventually rejected violence and vowed to lead by moral example; greatly improved the lives of his people

B. Reviewing Key Terms 6. Faxian: Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India and reported on Gupta Rule

B. Reviewing Key Terms 7. Kalidasa: The greatest Gupta poet and playwright, he wrote the play Shakuntala