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Section 1
India’s First Empires The Mauryas and the Guptas establish empires, but neither unifies India permanently.
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The Mauryan Empire Is Established
India’s First Empires
Chandragupta Maurya Seizes Power • In 321 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya seizes power,
starts Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta Maurya Unifies North India • Chandragupta defeats Seleucus I; north India
united for first time • Chandragupta uses taxes to support his large army
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Running the Empire • Chandragupta’s chief adviser is Kautilya, a priest • Chandragupta creates bureaucratic government • He divides the government to make it easier to rule
Continued . . .
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continued The Mauryan Empire Is Established
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Life in the City and the Country • A Greek ambassador writes glowing praise of the
empire • Chandragupta’s son rules from 301 to 269 B.C., 32
years • Asoka—Chandragupta’s grandson, brings the
empire to its height
Asoka Promotes Buddhism • After a bloody war with Kalinga, Asoka promotes
Buddhism and peace • Preaches religious toleration—accepting people of
different religions • Builds roads, with wells along them
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A Period of Turmoil
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The Breakup of the Mauryan Empire • Asoka dies in 232 B.C.; kingdoms in central India
soon break away • The Andhra Dynasty dominates central India for
centuries • Northern India receives immigrants from Greece,
other parts of Asia • Tamils—a people living in southern India—
remain separate and frequently war with rival peoples
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The Gupta Empire Is Established
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Chandra Gupta Builds an Empire • Chandra Gupta marries into kingship in north
India in A.D. 320 • Starts Gupta Empire—India’s second empire;
flowering of Indian civilization, especially Hindu culture
• His son Samudra Gupta expands empire with conquest
Continued . . .
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Daily Life in India • Majority of Indians are farmers; entire family
raises crops together • Families are patriarchal—headed by the eldest
male • Farmers have to contribute work to government
and pay heavy taxes • Some Tamil families are matriarchal—led by
mother rather than father
continued The Gupta Empire Is Established
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Height of the Gupta Empire • Chandra Gupta II rules from A.D. 375–415 • He defeats the Shakas and adds western coast
to empire • Gupta Empire sees flourishing of arts, religion,
and science • After Chandra Gupta II dies, the empire declines
continued The Gupta Empire Is Established
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Indian religions, culture, and science evolve and spread to other regions through trade.
Section 2
Trade Spreads Indian Religions and Culture
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Buddhism and Hinduism Change
Trade Spreads Indian Religions and Culture
Traditional Hindu and Buddhist Beliefs • Hinduism blends Aryan and other beliefs; belief in
many gods • To Buddhists, desire causes suffering but suffering
can be overcome
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continued Buddhism and Hinduism Change
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A More Popular Form of Buddhism • Belief in bodhisattvas develops—potential
Buddhas who save humanity • Mahayana sect—Buddhists accepting new
doctrines of worship, salvation • Theravada sect—Buddhists who follow original
teachings of Buddha • Wealthy Buddhist merchants build stupas—
stone structures over relics
Continued . . .
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continued Buddhism and Hinduism Change
A Hindu Rebirth • Hinduism is remote from people by time of Mauryan
Empire • Hinduism moves toward monotheism; gods part of
one divine force • Chief gods:
Brahma—creator of the world Vishnu—preserver of the world Shiva—destroyer of the world
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Achievements of Indian Culture Literature and the Performing Arts • Kalidasa—poet and dramatist, one of India’s
greatest writers • His skillful and emotionally stirring plays still
popular • Madurai writing academies create literature;
2,000 Tamil poems survive • Drama and dance troupes gain popularity and
travel widely
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continued Achievements of Indian Culture
Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine • Ocean trade leads to advances in astronomy • Indian astronomers in Gupta Empire prove that world
is round • Mathematicians develop idea of zero and decimal
system • Doctors write medical guides and make advances in
surgery
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The Spread of Indian Trade India’s Valuable Resources • India has spices, diamonds, precious stones, and
good quality wood
Overland Trade, East and West • Trade routes called Silk Roads connect Asia and
Europe • Indians build trading posts to take advantage of
the Silk Roads
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Sea Trade, East and West • Indian merchants carry goods to Rome by sea • Merchants trade by sea with Africa, Arabia,
China, Southeast Asia
Continued . . .
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continued The Spread of Indian Trade
Effects of Indian Trade • Increased trade leads to rise of banking • Bankers lend money to merchants, careful of degree
of risk • Increased trade spreads Indian culture to other
places • Trade brings Hinduism, Buddhism to other lands
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The Han Restore Unity to China
Han Emperors in China
Troubled Empire • In Qin Dynasty peasants resent high taxes and harsh
labor, rebel
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Continued . . .
Liu Bang Founds the Han Dynasty • Liu Bang defeats Xiang Yu, a rival for power, and
founds Han Dynasty • Han Dynasty—begins in 202 B.C., lasts 400 years • Han Dynasty has great influence on Chinese people,
culture • Liu Bang establishes centralized government—a
central authority rules • Liu Bang lowers taxes and reduces punishments to
keep people happy
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The Empress Lü • Liu Bang dies in 195 B.C.; wife Lü seizes control
of empire • Empress Lü rules for her young son, outlives him • Palace plots and power plays occur throughout
Han Dynasty
continued The Han Restore Unity to China
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The Martial Emperor • Liu Bang’s great-grandson Wudi rules from 141 to
87 B.C. • “Martial Emperor” Wudi defeats Xiongnu
(nomads) and mountain tribes • Colonizes Manchuria, Korea, and as far south as
what is now Vietnam
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A Highly Structured Society Emperor’s Role • Chinese believe their emperor has authority to
rule from god • Believe prosperity reward of good rule; troubles
reveal poor rule
Structures of Han Government • Complex bureaucracy runs Han government • People pay taxes and supply labor, military service • Government uses peasant labor to carry out public
projects
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Confucianism, the Road to Success • Wudi’s government employs 130,000;
bureaucracy of 18 ranks of jobs • Civil service jobs—government jobs obtained
through examinations • Job applicants begin to be tested on knowledge
of Confucianism • Wudi favors Confucian scholars, builds school to
train them • Only sons of wealthy can afford expensive
schooling • Civil service system works well, continues until
1912
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Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture Technology Revolutionizes Chinese Life • Invention of paper in A.D. 105 helps spread
education • Collar harness, plow, wheelbarrow improve
farming
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Agriculture Versus Commerce • As population grows, farming regarded as
important activity • Government allows monopolies—control by one
group over key industries • Techniques for producing silk become state secret
as profits increase
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The Han Unifies Chinese Culture Bringing Different Peoples Under Chinese Rule • To unify empire, Chinese government encourages
assimilation • Assimilation—integrating conquered peoples into
Chinese culture • Writers encourage unity by recording Chinese history
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Women’s Roles—Wives, Nuns, and Scholars • Most women work in the home and on the farm • Some upper-class women are educated, run shops,
practice medicine
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The Fall of the Han and Their Return The Rich Take Advantage of the Poor • Large landowners gain control of more and more land • Gap between rich and poor increases
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Wang Mang Overthrows the Han • Economic problems and weak emperors cause
political instability • In A.D. 9, Wang Mang seizes power and stabilizes
empire • Wang Mang is assassinated in A.D. 23; Han soon
regain control
The Later Han Years • Peace restored, Later Han Dynasty lasts until A.D. 220
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