ANCIENT INDIAANCIENT INDIA

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IntroductionIntroduction

In ancient India, the land and population was controlled by emperors. These emperors belonged to either the Mauryan or the Gupta Empire. In both of these empires, many great things were achieved including advancements in sciences, math, literature and religion. Also more land was conquered.

Before The GreatBefore The Great

Before India’s culture evolved into two great empires, there was a

simpler and less developed India.

GeographyGeography

• -located on the Indian Subcontinent

• -landmass that includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

• -separated from Asia by the Himalayan mountains. Figure 2

Harrappan CivilizationHarrappan Civilization

• -larger area than Egypt or Mesopotamia

• -7000 B.C. domesticated animals and had agriculture

• -2500 B.C. cities laid out into grids made of brick

• -plumbing and sewage systems

CultureCulture

• Language-writing systems of 400 now indecipherable symbols

• Social Factors-no great social classes-importance on animals-evidence of children’s toys• Religion-priests and rulers and closely linked-links to modern Hindu culture• Trade-thriving trade with other peoples, including

Mesopotamia

The Government of the The Government of the Mauryan EmpireMauryan Empire

The Mauryan empire was imperialistic, which led to a bureaucratic government.

Chandragupta Maurya 321–301 Chandragupta Maurya 321–301 BC BC

• He was a militaristic leader. He put together an army around 326 BC and conquered all of northern India between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. This was the first time northern India was united.

• He raised a large army consisting of 600,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 soldiers on horseback and 9,000 elephants. To pay for these soldiers, he taxed the people heavily.

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The Government Under The Government Under ChandraguptaChandragupta

• Chandragupta listened to his advisers, especially Kautilya, a member of the priestly caste and the author of a rulers handbook.

• Kautilya advised Chandragupta to create a bureaucratic system.

• Chandragupta split the empire into provinces, and had royal princes rule them. The provinces were then split into districts where carefully chosen officials collected taxes and enforced the law.

Asoka, Chandragupta’s grandsonAsoka, Chandragupta’s grandson268—232BC 268—232BC

• Asoka conquered new lands until the Mauryan empire reached out to most of the subcontinent of Asia.

• After Asoka saw that he was causing people to suffer, he renounced warfare and converted from Brahmanism to Buddhism. He had Buddhism become the official religion of the empire.

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Asoka’s Reign as a Buddhist Asoka’s Reign as a Buddhist EmperorEmperor

• As emperor, Asoka applied Buddhist principals to his leadership. He made less harsh laws than his predecessors.

• He also had trees planted, rest houses and medical centers built and wells dug.

• In addition to these, he also built shrines and monasteries and inscribed Siddhartha’s teachings on rocks and pillars. He sent out Buddhist missionaries to places as far as Egypt and Greece.

• Asoka was also tolerant of other religions, which led India to a prosperous age.

The Golden Age of the Gupta The Golden Age of the Gupta EmpireEmpire

An expansion of trade in India led to an advance in math, science

and literature.

Scientific Discoveries Under Scientific Discoveries Under Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II

• Sailors and traders began to understand astronomy. This enabled them to locate their positions when they were at sea.

• Indian astronomers also discovered that the earth was round by observing the Earth’s shadow during a lunar eclipse.

• In medicine, Indians found over a thousand diseases, including smallpox, and over five hundred herbs used for medical purposes. They also knew how to perform surgeries such as plastic surgery.

Mathematical DiscoveriesMathematical Discoveries

• Mathematics in India was one of most advanced math systems in the world during the Gupta Empire.

• The modern number system, zero and the decimal system were all developed in India at his time.

• A great Indian mathematician named Aryabhata calculated Pi to four decimal places. He also calculated a solar year to be 365.3586805 days, which is close to modern calculations made by an atomic clock.

Advances in LiteratureAdvances in Literature

• India had a number of writers, including Kalidasa, the author of Shakuntala, the story of a girl and a king who marry.

• Writing academies were developed in the city of Madurai in 100AD, and there are still over 2,000 poems from there today.

• In India, there was also acting troupes in which both genders took part in. Classical Indian dances are based on dance techniques from this time.

• Many Buddhist and Hindu libraries and schools were made as well.

HinduismHinduism

The religion of Hinduism is one of peaceful tenets and moral values. For

most leaders, in the Mauryan and Gupta Empires, it was the dominant religion. The religion still has many

followers in India.

Caste SystemCaste System

• -4 basic social classes determined by birth.

• -cannot be changed in the current life.

• Brahmins-priests and nobles

• Kshatriyas-warriors• Vaisyas-merchants and

farmers• Shudras-laborers

• -One is placed into one of these catagories by how you behaved in your prior life

• -The belief that you are born into another body after death is Samsara or reincarnation.

Karma and MokshaKarma and Moksha

Karma• -the idea that

everything one does will affect him in a later life.

• -this places one into their caste

Moksha• -liberation in the

fullest form• -ultimate state of

happiness after you have been moral in every life

• -“Nirvana”

BuddhismBuddhism

Buddhism is more of a philosophy, or way of life, rather than a

religion.

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Buddhism’s StartBuddhism’s Start

• Siddhartha Gautama credited founder of Buddhism

• Born into a noble family near the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal

• It was prophesized when he was a baby that if he stayed home, he would become a world ruler. If he left, he would become a universal spiritual leader.

• He was isolated in the palace by his father, to ensure his becoming a great king

Buddhism’s Start ContinuedBuddhism’s Start Continued

• At age 29, Siddhartha left his palace four times• Most of the images he saw were of suffering, except for

a holy man who did not seem to be suffering• He concluded that the only way to deal with suffering

was to lead a religious life• He went on a journey of enlightenment (wisdom) in the

forests of India for six years• He tried many ways of reaching enlightenment, including

fasting, and talking with others searching for religion• Meditation proved to be the answer, for after 49 days of

meditating under a fig tree, he reach enlightenment• He became know as the Buddha, which means one who

is enlightened

Buddhist BeliefsBuddhist Beliefs

• Four Noble Truths:• Dukkha: All things in life are unsatisfactory and filled with

suffering. • Trsna: The cause of suffering is a desire for the wrong

things; searching to find stability in a shifting world is the wrong way.

• Nirvana: The end to all desires is the end to suffering. • The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering• The Noble Eightfold Path is right views, right resolve,

right speech, right conduct, riht livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration; otherwise known as the Middle Way

ConclusionConclusion

Before India became a modernized country, it was run by vast empires and kingdoms. The two empires were the Mauryan and the Gupta. They made India a booming center of mathematics and literature. The religions of the region influenced it and its people greatly. Centered around a great river, India’s ancient times were prosperous and pivotal.

BibliographyBibliography

• Beck, B. Roger, Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor and Dahia Ibo Shabaka. World History: Patterns Of Interaction. Illinios: McDougal Littell Inc., 1999.

• “Chandragupta” http://www.history.com/encyclopedia.do?articleId=205=225 Funk & Wagnalls® New Encyclopedia. © 2006

• “Asoka” http://www.history.com/encyclopedia.do?articleId=201655 Funk & Wagnalls® New Encyclopedia. © 2006

• “Religion and Ethics-Buddhism” http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths.shtml

• Jeffery Watkins “Gupta Empire” http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/goldenages/gupta.cfm© 1999-2003 Oswego City School District Regents Exam Prep Center

Image BibliographyImage Bibliography

• Fig.1- Jonathan Mark Kenoyer; The Great bath and granary at Mohenjo-Daro University of Wisconsin - Madison. http://www.sewerhistory.org/grfx/wh_region/indus2.htm 11/24/08

• Fig.2- Map of India http://www.mapsofindia.com/history/ancient-india.htm 11/24/08

• Fig. 3- Tanmoy Sinha Kautilya’s Arthashastra www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/category/biography/ 11/24/08

• Fig 4- Map of the Mauryan Empire www.american-pictures.com/.../Azokas.empire.jp 11/24/08

• Fig. 5- Asoka www.bollywoodsbest.de/wbb2/bw_indien_persoenl... 11/24/08

• Fig 6. Wheel of Dharma www.medway.gov.uk/print/buddishm.jpg 11/24/08

• Fig.7 Reclining Buddha www.fengshuigardendecor.com/Merchant2/merchan... 11/24/08

The EndThe End

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