India and China Establish Empires 300 BCE – CE 550

Mauryan Empire 321 – 185 BCE Chandragupta Maurya –Seizes land from Magadha (Ganges River) to the Indus River –Politically united north India for the first time in 303 BCE

Mauryan Empire Money needed to pay for large army Government collected high taxes from trading, mining, and manufacturing Farmers were exempt from military service –Farmers were still heavily taxed

Mauryan Empire Kautilya –Member of priest caste that advised Chandragupta –Wrote a book on how to hold a vast empire together Arthasastra –Chandragupta followed his advice Chose his officials & closely supervised them Divided empire into 4 provinces –Headed by a royal prince –Provinces divided into local districts »Officials in districts assessed taxes and enforced the law

Asoka Chandragupta’s grandson Brought Mauryan Empire to its greatest heights Expanded the empire south at the cost of 100,000 soldiers’ lives

Asoka He felt sorrow over the slaughter at Kalinga –Turned to Buddhism Belief in nonviolence Peace to all beings –Religious toleration Acceptance of people who held different beliefs –Built stone pillars that preached nonviolence –Built roads across India Planted trees along the side for shade Every 9 miles had wells dug, rest houses built, & water holes for animals

232 BCE = Asoka dies & the empire breaks up North and Central regional kings of India challenged the imperial government

North India Experienced many different people fleeing political instability Introductions of several new languages and customs

Andhra Dynasty Arose and dominated central India Profited with trade between North and South India

Tamil Kingdoms South India had their own languages Divided into 3 kingdoms –Often fought each other Never were under the control of the Mauryan Empire Matriarchal society –Households were headed by eldest female

Gupta Empire Chandra Gupta –Arose to power in northern India –No relation with Chandragupta –Empire stretches across North India

Gupta Empire Patriarchal society –Households headed by eldest male Tax on water Farmers irrigated crops Every month, everyone donated a day’s worth of labor to maintain wells, irrigation ditches, reservoirs, and dams High taxes go to the king

Chandra Gupta II Expanded empire west Opens trade with Mediterranean world

Changes in Religious Thought Hinduism –Complex polytheistic religion that blended Aryan and pre-Aryan beliefs Buddhism –Teaches that desires causes suffering and that humans should overcome desire by following the Eightfold Path

Split in Buddhism after Buddha’s Death Mahayana –Began to believe Buddha was a god –Believed anyone could become Buddha, too Working to save humanity through good works and self-sacrifice Theraveda –Stuck with the stricter & original teachings of Buddha

Hinduism Changes to Embrace the People Went from worshipping hundreds of gods to concentrating on the three most important gods –1) Brahma Creator of the world –2) Vishnu Preserver of the world –3) Shiva Destroyer of the world

Literature Kalidasa –Great writer from North India 2,000 poems still around in South India from Tamil period

Drama & Dance Women and men participated on stage together South India had many traveling performers

Astronomy Sailors used stars to help figure out their position at sea Used calendar based on cycles of sun Adopted a 7 day week –Each day was divided by hours Discovered world was round during a lunar eclipse –Shadow of earth on the moon was curved –(1,000 years before Columbus)

Mathematics Modern numerals Zero –Biggest contribution to the world Decimal system Aryabhata –Calculated the value of pi to four decimal places –Calculated the length of a solar year as days

Medicine Medical guides of 1,000 diseases & descriptions of more than 500 medicinal plants were compiled Performed surgery –Including plastic surgery

Spread of Indian Trade Natural Resources –Spices, diamonds, sapphires, gold, pearls, and woods (ebony, teak, & sandalwood) After Mauryan rule, India became involved in new trade regions –Silk Road Caravan traders across Asia connecting the Mediterranean World and China –Sea Trade Arabian Sea through Persian Gulf to trade with Rome India to Southeast Asia India to Arabian Peninsula and East Africa Increase trade led to a rise of banking in India Some Indian merchants went to live abroad –Spread of Indian culture Art, architecture, dance, and Hinduism spread to East and Southeast Asia