1. Classical Civilizations

2. Centralized Rule
The emperor rules directly through governors or military leaders or scholars
Often more stable and resistant to outside invaders

3. De-centralized Rule
Emperor lets local rulers rule their own people although they must collect and pay taxes and/or tribute to the emperor.

4. India- Political Development
Developed into small regional kingdoms, often in conflict with one another ( follows Aryan invasion)
Decentralized ( exceptions- certain periods were centralized- these were few and far between)
Major Exception: Mauryans (Centralized)
320 BCE Chandragupta Maurya
Sets up a bureaucratic administrative system to rule his empire

5. Maurya’s Passing of the Torch
Insert Ashoka
Continues grandfather’s conquering ways until bloody campaign to conquer Kalinga
Aftermath, of blood bath, Ashoka decides to rule by Moral Example
Utilizes rock edicts to send his messages

6. Ashoka’s Reign- A Moral Way
Organized Bureaucracy
Collected taxes
Hierarchy consisted of Officials, Accountants and soldiers
Built roads, hospitals, and rest houses ( facilitated trade)
Aftermath of his death- Mauryan empire declines, and India returns to a land of large regional kingdoms
Order and stability is maintained due to the increased trade that occurred through Ashoka’s reign

7. AP Expert Tip
Ashoka converted to Buddhism and later used Buddhist monks to spread Buddhism across Central Asia and into SE Asia.
Knowing causes and effects for the spread of religion is a type of knowledge commonly asked for in the WHAP exam.

8. A New Imperial Rule
320 CE India is re-united under Chandra Gupta and he established the Gupta Empire
Conquers many of the regional kingdoms
Southern portion of Indian remains out of his control
Guptas’ Leave local government and administration in power.
Hinduism re-asserts itself as the primary religion of Hindu culture
Buddhism disappears
Invasion continues until the White Huns
Weakened empire AND India once again
Returned to regional rule.

9. India Economic Development
Benefited from expansion of agriculture and Increase trade throughout this period
Agricultural surplus led to an increase in the number of towns, which created marketplaces and thus encouraged trade.
Long-distance trade increased with China, SE Asia and the Mediterranean Basin
Overland trade via the Silk Roads connected India with China throughout Central Asia
Indian Sailors mastered the technique of riding monsoon season winds and they sailed to
Indonesia and SE Asia
Goods such as cotton and black pepper made it all the way to Rome

10. Social Structure and Gender Roles
Like Greece, India was a patriarchal society with strict social structures
Women were forbidden from reading the sacred prayers ( the Vedas)
Under Hindu Law, women were legally minors and subject to supervision of their fathers, husbands, and then sons.
To Marry Well- Women needed a Dowry
Women could not: inherit property, widows could not remarry.

11. Socially defined: The Caste System
Caste= something that can not be changed
Determines one job, diet and marriage
Restrictions were reinforced by ruling class
Highest class= Brahmins
Brahmins became increasingly more powerful during the rule of the Guptas.

12. Culture, Arts, Science, Technology
Indian art stressed symbolism rather than accurate representation ( unlike Greece)
Math and Science flourished ( geometry and algebra)
Circumference of the earth and the value of pi were calculated
Concept of zero, the decimal system and the number system used today called Arabic

13. Fall of Gupta 550 CE
Economic – Government had great difficulty raising enough taxes to pay the army to protect the borders.
Political – Regional powers of the Guptas allowed them to keep much of their administrative power. Eventually grew more powerful than the central government.
Role of Nomadic Invasions – Government too weak to defend against the nomadic invasions of the White Huns.