1. The Maurya Empire
Seat work
Students will quietly enter the room, find your seats and discuss your three sticky notes on pages with your row group.

2. The Maurya Empire
What emperor turned from war to peace, promoted the growth of Buddhism?
Ashoka
What Brahmin guided Chandragupta and helped him become emperor?
Kautilya
What was the name of his book?
Arthashastra

3. Introduction
Chapter Introduction
This chapter will introduce you to India’s early empires. You will learn about the rulers and cultures of the Maurya and Gupta empires.
Section 1: The Maurya Empire
Section 2: The Gupta Empire

4. Why would it be important for a ruler to gain control of Magadha?
The Maurya Empire
Why would it be important for a ruler to gain control of Magadha?
Remind students that in the previous chapter, they learned that a dozen Aryan kingdoms and republics covered the Ganges Plain by 500 B.C. Ask them to predict what will happen to these kingdoms when a strong ruler with powerful weapons emerges. Students may refer to this map as it appears in the Student Edition.

5. Key Ideas Chandragupta used military strategy to unite
The Maurya Empire
Key Ideas
Chandragupta used military strategy to unite
much of India for the first time.
Chandragupta developed a bureaucracy, a tax
system, and a system of spies to help rule his
empire.
The emperor Ashoka turned from war to peace,
promoted the growth of Buddhism, and
encouraged morality among his subjects.

6. Key Terms bureaucracy—system of offices that
The Maurya Empire
Key Terms
bureaucracy—system of offices that
carries out government rules and
regulations
subjects—people under a ruler’s control
tolerance—willingness to respect different
beliefs and customs
Students should use the Word Wise feature in the India’s Empires chapter of their Student Journal to explore Key Terms.

7. Chandragupta Unites India
The Maurya Empire
Chandragupta Unites India
Chandragupta Maurya was the first to unite India’s many kingdoms into one empire—the Maurya.
A brilliant military leader, Chandragupta was guided by a Brahmin named Kautilya.

8. What was Chandragupta’s strategy
The Maurya Empire
What was Chandragupta’s strategy
for gaining power?
Chandragupta’s Steps to Success
One
Two
Three
Four
Have students focus on military training and weaponry, Greeks in the northwest, Magadha’s borders, and other kingdoms.

9. The Maurya Empire
Ruling an Empire
Chandragupta divided his large empire into four regions further divided into smaller provinces.
A bureaucracy of appointed officials in each region, province, and village carried out his orders.
Taxes supported the army and the emperor’s costly lifestyle.

10. The Maurya Empire
Ruling an Empire
Chandragupta’s subjects had no right to privacy or freedom of speech.
Kautilya’s book Arthashastra advised Chandragupta to protect his people, but also to do whatever was necessary to keep power.

11. The Maurya Empire
Ruling an Empire
According to the Arthashastra, what made a ruler good?
Why do you think Kautilya said
that people cannot be trusted?

12. The Maurya Empire
Ashoka Turns to Peace
Ashoka, Chandragupta’s grandson, fought his brothers to become the third Maurya emperor.
After a terrible war against the kingdom of
Kalinga, Ashoka turned to Buddhism.
He replaced rule by force with rule based on
dharma, or moral law.

13. What three principles were included in Ashoka’s rule of moral law?
The Maurya Empire
What three principles were included
in Ashoka’s rule of moral law?
Three Principles of Ashoka’s Rule
Have students use information in the section to identify the three principles of Ashoka’s rule based on dharma.

14. Ashoka Turns to Peace To share his ideas, Ashoka had stone pillars, or
The Maurya Empire
Ashoka Turns to Peace
To share his ideas, Ashoka had stone pillars, or
columns, set up across his empire.
Ashoka had messages carved on the pillars and
rocks in which he assured his subjects that he
was focused on their well-being.

15. Ashoka’s Aftermath Ashoka ruled India for nearly 40 years.
The Maurya Empire
Ashoka’s Aftermath
Ashoka ruled India for nearly 40 years.
During that time, he did much to improve life for
his people.
After Ashoka died in 232 B.C., the Maurya empire
declined.

16. In what ways did Ashoka improve the well-being of his subjects?
The Maurya Empire
In what ways did Ashoka improve the well-being of his subjects?
Ashoka’s Achievements
Have students address such categories as trade, travel, health, and safety.

17. What impact did religion have on the Maurya empire?
Impact of Religion •
Tell students to think back on everything they learned in the section. Have them use the graphic organizer to identify the effects of Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism on the Maurya empire’s laws, warfare, daily life, and economy.