1. How do the Edicts reflect Ashoka’s Buddhist beliefs?
QuAesTio: How did Maurya and Gupta rulers achieve peace and order for ancient India?
Nunc AgEnda: Open your textbook to page 91, read the excerpt from the Edicts of Ashoka, and answer the following questions in your notebook:
How do the Edicts reflect Ashoka’s Buddhist beliefs?
Based on the Edict, does Ashoka seem like a good ruler? Why or why not?

3. Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE
Greeks under Alexander the Great conquered Western India, but quickly lost it
Northwest India weakened
Rulers from Eastern India near Ganges river conquer the West
Chandragupta Maurya = first Mauryan Emperor, very tough
Grandson = Ashoka
Fought bloody war to conquer Deccan Plateau, many slaughtered, Ashoka horrified
Converted to Buddhism, promoted Ahimsa

4. Edicts of Ashoka Ashoka had stone pillars set up across India, offering moral advice and promising a just government.

5. They were also written on natural rock walls

6. Ashoka helped to spread Buddhism

7. Gupta Empire 320 to 550 CE 400 years of regional kingdoms
Kushans from Central Asia rule North
Tamil Kingdoms rules South
Chandra Gupta I conquers across North India, creates Gupta Empire
Supported Hinduism, built temples, revived holy texts
Golden Age of art, medicine, science, math, and literature
Conquered by White Huns in 550 CE

8. Rock Cut Temples

9. Rock Cut Temples

10. Gupta Era Coinage

11. Maurya & Gupta Empires Working in groups of four, examine the documents and answer the questions that follow. Quickly choose your positions before you begin your work. Moderator • Scribe Time Keeper • Orator

12. PENSA Students will read Chapter 3 Section 4 in the textbook and complete the worksheet “Rise of Civilization in China”