1. BELLRINGER SEPTEMBER 29, 2011 Take out your Chapter 6 Notes Guide
Take out a writing utensil

2. India’s first empires
Today we are learning how the Mauryan dynasty built India’s first great empire

3. I. The First Empire 2 invasions – taught the Indians a lesson
500 B.C. – Persians invaded the Indus River valley (India became part of Persian empire)
*327 B.C. – Alexander the Great invaded – troops grew homesick, left, led to 1st great empire.

4. I. The First Empire *Chandragupta – Indian prince
Conquered large area in Ganges River valley thanks to Alexander
United most of northern India
*Founded the Mauryan dynasty in 321 B.C.
Dynasty – a series of rules from the same family

5. I. The First Empire Achievements *Pataliputra–Capital
*set up a centralized gov.
ran everything from captial city
Strong army
007 – good spy system
Postal system
*Pataliputra–Capital

6. II. Emperor Asoka’s reign
*Asoka – greatest king ( B.C.)
Unusual rule – hated bloodshed so he followed the teachings of Buddha
Achievements –history’s 1st great Buddhist king
Built :
hospitals for people and animals
Roads for easy trade routes
Shelters and put shade trees along the roads for travelers to rest
Sent teachers to spread religion
*Stupas are Buddhist shrines that have the shape of a dome or mound.

7. Video

8. Stupas

9. III. The Fall of the Mauryan Empire
Reasons for decline:
Leaders who followed Asoka were not good leaders
Kings made bad decisions that turned people against them
Forced merchants to pay heavy taxes
Seized peasant's crops
Last Mauryan ruler was killed by own general

10. IV. Gupta empire
*A.D. 320 – prince Chandragupta grew more powerful than others. *He founded the Gupta empire. Ruled near Pataliputra
*His son Samudragupta took over after his father died.
Reasons for success
Smaller empire was easier to manage
Wealthy from trade
Prosperous cities (happy citizens)
*Pilgrims –used trade routes to travel to a religious shrine/site
*Golden Age – art/science began to flourish
Brightly painted sculptures of Hindu images

11. V. Indian Literature
Vedas – ancient hymns and prayers for religious ceremonies
Development of sanskrit led to Vedas being recorded

12. Ramayana *Mahabharata
–longest poem (88,000 verses) written down – circa 100 B.C.
Bhagavad Gita –best known section
“ Song of the Lord”
The god Krishna preached a sermon before a battle
Duty –tells how nobles it is to do one’s duty even when it is difficult and painful
Rama banished from kingdom by his enemies. Forced to live like a hermit in the forest. Sita kidnapped by the demon Ravana. Rama fights and defeats Ravana and they live happily ever after.
King Rama – the perfect hero
Queen Sita – the faithful wife
Contains many religious and moral lessons
2 famous epics – both tell about a brave warriors and their heroic deeds

13. V. Indian Literature *Kalidasa – one of India’s best known authors
Wrote plays, poems, love stories, and comedies
Indian fables- talking animals characters present lessons about life.
Most lit. stresses importance of dharma
Each person must do his/her duty

14. VII. Science
Astronomy – followed/mapped movements of planets and stars
Understood the Earth was round and revolved around the sun
Understood gravity
Atoms- came up w/ the idea that the atoms long before the Greeks.
Shushruta – Dr (1st plastic surgeon)
Restored damaged noses
Doctors –
Set broken bones, performed surgery, treated with herbs

15. VI. Math *Arybhata – leading mathematician of Gupta empire
Used algebra
Developed idea of zero and created a symbol to represent it!
Infinity – something without an end – explained by Indian mathematicians
Numbers – created numerals 1-9
Gupta  Arab traders  European traders
*Algorithm – a series of steps that solve a problem

16. Review Quiz ____ ____ the Great’s invasion weakened India.
Chandragupta _______________ founded India’s first empire.
______ ___ was the Mauryan dynasty greatest king.
Asoka was history’s first great _ __________ king.
Chandragupta ______________ founded India’s second great empire, the Gupta empire.
_ _____ and Ramayana are long poems that tell about brave warriors and their heroic deeds.
India had a Age of art and learning during the Gupta empire.

17. Homework
Study for your Chapter 6 Quiz