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India's First Empires

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Start of the Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta Maurya 321-298 BC: Chandragupta s army of 9,000 elephants and 700,000 soldiers trampled neighboring kingdoms. – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: India's First Empires


1
India's First Empires
2
Persian King Darius I
  • Darius I came through the Khyber Pass and
    conquered northwestern India.
  • For 200 years, Indus Valley was ruled by Persian
    satrap, or governor.
  • First time the Indians felt both the benefits
    (unity and order) and burdens of centralized
    control.

3
Alexander the Great
  • 326 BC Alexander the Great invaded India with
    the goal of unifying all of Northern India.
  • Only stayed for 5 years before giving up on his
    goal.
  • He left generals in his place to keep order among
    the people.

4
Chandragupta Maurya
  • 321 BC Claimed throne after killing the
    unpopular Nanda King.
  • Start of the Mauryan Empire.

5
Chandragupta Maurya
  • 321-298 BC Chandraguptas army of 9,000
    elephants and 700,000 soldiers trampled
    neighboring kingdoms.
  • United all of North India under his rule.
  • Indus Valley, Ganges Valley, and Southern
    Himalayas.

6
Chandragupta Maurya
  • Divided Empire into 4 provinces.
  • Each headed by a royal prince.
  • Each split into different districts with
    governors who would collect taxes.
  • Government is the science of Punishment
  • -Chandragupta Maurya

7
Chandragupta Maurya
  • Chandragupta ruled by force and fear.
  • Planted government spies to make sure no one was
    planning a revolt.
  • (Like the one he planned when he killed the Nanda
    King!!!)
  • Trusted no one.
  • Made the chef taste his meal before he would eat
    it.
  • Slept in a different room each night in order to
    make sure no one would kill him in his sleep.

8
Chandragupta Maurya
  • 301 BC Gave up the throne and converted to
    Jainism.
  • Jains taught nonviolence and respect for all
    life.
  • Joined in the Jainist custom of fasting until he
    starved to death.

9
Chandraguptas Son
  • 301 BC Ruled for 32 years. Little is known about
    his rule.

10
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11
Ashokas Warlike Behavior
  • 269 BC Ashoka took the throne of the Mauryan
    Empire.
  • At first he was warlike.
  • He waged a bloody war against the neighboring
    state of Kalinga.
  • 100,000 soldiers were slain and even more
    civilians perished.

12
Asokas Good Works
  • Filled Asoka with remorse and he decided to rule
    according to Buddhas teachings of peace to all
    beings.
  • He sent out an apology to the southern tribes and
    promised kind treatment in the future.

13
Asokas Good Works
  • Ordered huge pillars to be erected inscribed with
    a public announcement of his new policies.
  • Promoted religious tolerance.
  • Built roads with wells and rest houses every 9
    miles so travelers could rest.

14
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15
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16
Asoka
  • Instead of spies, Asoka employed officials of
    righteousness to look out for the welfare of
    Indians of every caste.
  • They were there to help the unfortunate.

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18
Asoka
  • Sent hundreds of Buddhist missionaries to
    neighboring lands such as Ceylon.
  • Thanks to Asoka, Buddhism spread far beyond India
    and became a major world religion with millions
    of followers.

19
Asokas Death
  • 232 BC Last strong ruler of the Mauryan dynasty.
  • His policies of toleration and nonviolence failed
    to hold the Mauryan Empire together.
  • 180 BC Mauryan Empire torn apart by rivalry
    among local provinces.

20
Start of the Gupta Empire
  • Chandra Gupta I married the daughter of an
    influential royal family.
  • 320 AD Chandra Gupta I crowned King of upper
    Ganges Valley.
  • Great King of Kings

21
Start of the Gupta Empire
  • His reign brought the Golden Age to India.
  • Gupta Dynasty ruled a mighty Empire from 320-467
    AD.

22
Samudra Gupta
  • Chandra Guptas son.
  • 335 AD Crowned King of the Gupta Empire.
  • Expanded the Empire through 40 years of conquest.

23
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24
Daily Life in the Gupta Empire
  • First period that historians have a lot of
    information about the daily life.
  • Most Indians lived in small villages.
  • Majority were farmers.
  • Most families were patriarchal.
  • Headed by the eldest male.
  • Tax on water.
  • Farmers owed a large part of their earnings to
    the King.

25
Southern India Daily Life
  • The Tamil, were matriarchal.
  • Headed by the mother rather than the father.

26
Height of the Gupta Empire
  • 3rd Gupta Emperor 375-415 AD
  • Chandra Gupta II, created a place that was full
    of excitement and growth.
  • Praised for his heroic qualities.
  • Defeated the Shakas
  • Enemies to the west. After defeating them he
    added their coastal territory to his empire.
  • This allowed the Guptas to trade with the
    Mediterranean world.

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28
Gupta Empire Decline
  • 425 AD Chandra Gupta II died.
  • New invaders threatened North India
  • The Hunas
  • Related to the Huns.
  • Over the next 100 years, the Gupta Empire broke
    into small kingdoms.
  • Many were overrun by the Hunas.
  • 535 AD Empire ended.
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