World History: Grade 9

Unit 4.5 Giant Empires of Afroeurasia 300 BCE – 500 CEIndia’s First Empires, c. 1000 BCE - 500 CE

Tuesday, March 24, 15

Unit 4.5 Giant Empires of Afroeurasia: India’s First Empires M.T. Donkin

Unit Objectives: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the subject by answering a series of questions on Afroeurasian history between 300 BCE and 500 CE. 2. Categorize and record information about Afroeurasia between 300 BCE and 500 CE. 3. Demonstrate understanding of the historical significance of states during Big Era Four.

MTP: 1. The Mauryans and the Guptas 2. What’s due?

Mar 2015 75 min.

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• While two religions - Hinduism and Buddhism-spread through India, there was little political unity.

• Between 1500 BCE and 400 BCE, warring kingdoms prevented a lasting peace.

• These kingdoms would unit to force out invaders and thus three new Indian empires emerged.

• ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas

Tuesday, March 24, 15

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• What led to the rise and fall of the Mauryan, Kushan, and Gupta Empires?• After 400 BCE, India faced threats

from Persia and Greece.• In 324 - 301 BCE, Candragupta

Maurya ruled this new state, the Mauryan Empire.

• He established the capital at Pataliputra (modern Patna), in the Ganges Valley.

• This empire was very centralized. He divided his empire into provinces, ruled by governors whom he appointed.

• Later his grandson, Asoka, c. 265–238 BCE, the greatest ruler in the history of India, would take over.

• Do you remember what Asoka did for the people of his empire?• He was kind and also setup and

expanded regional commerce.• In 183 BCE, the last ruler was killed

and India fell into disunity.• ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: Three New Empires

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, many new kingdoms arose and around 100 CE, nomadic warriors seized power and establish Kushan.

• For 200 years, the empire would spread over northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.

• Kushan would prosper from trade with the Roman Empire and China via the Silk Road.

• Because of its excellent location, the Kushan Empire was shaped by China, Persia, and the Roman Empire.• The Greek alphabet was adapted to their

language.• Practiced both Hinduism and Buddhism,

as well as Zoroastrianism (from Persia).• Developed a calendar based on the sun

and the moon, and it is the basis of the Indian calendar used today.

• ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: The Kushan Empire

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• By 300 century CE, the Kushan Empire came to an end; when invaders from Persia overran it.

• In 320 CE, a new state was created by prince Candra Gupta (no relation to Candragupta). • He would ally with other powerful families in

the Ganges area and later his son, Samudra Gupta, expanded the empire into surrounding areas.

• Under a series of monarchs - especially Candra Gupta II (380-415 CE), the Guptas created a golden age of Indian culture and emerged as a classical civilization, a society that serves as a model of excellence and has lasting value and relevance.• They engaged in trade with China, South East

Asia, and the Mediterranean - cloth, salt, and iron.

• Cities were famous for their temples.• Owned vast gold and silver mines; most of

their wealth came from religious trade.• Their good fortune did not last, and by 500 century

CE, invasions by nomadic Huns from the northwest reduced the power of the empire.

• ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: Gupta Empire

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• What were the cultural contributions of ancient India?• Literature: earliest forms come from the Vedas, religious chants and stories. India’s greatest

epics Mahabharata (1000 BCE, describes a war between cousins for control of the kingdom) and Ramayana (has religious and moral lessons; Rama a fictional ruler is banished from the kingdom and forced to live in the forest; he fights a demon-king of Ceylon, who had kidnapped his wife Sita) - tells about legendary deeds of great warriors.• One of the most famous authors from the Gupta era was Kalidasa; his poem, The Cloud

Messenger, (an exiled male earth spirit shares his grief and longing for his wife) remains one of the most popular Sanskrit poems.

• ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: Accomplishments

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• The Cloud Messenger• “Some months, divided from • his spouse,• Upon this mountain he had• passed;• His golden bracelet from his arm• Already fallen, when at last, He• saw a cloud embrace the fell...

• Before this tree-enlivening cloud• With tears repressed and • saddened heart,• The servant of the king of kings• Reflected long nor could depart:• Not even a happy man unmoved• Beholds a cloud before his face.• Then how shall he who, far• remote,• Longs to enjoy the dear• embrace?”• -Kalidasa, from the Cloud Messenger

• What might account for this poem’s enduring popularity in Indian culture?

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1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: DBQ Time

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• Three main types of structures, all serving religious purposes, were the pillar, the stupa, and the rock chamber.• During Asoka’s reign, many stone pillars were created along roads to mark sites of events

in the Buddha’s life - 50 tons in weight, 50 feet in height, and on top was a carved lion.• The stupa was meant to be a house of the Buddha. These were built in the form of a burial

mound. 84,000 were built by Asoka.• The rock chamber provided rooms for monks - hall for religious ceremony. • ...

1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: Architecture

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• Ancient India possessed an impressive amount of scientific knowledge.• They charted the movements of the stars and recognized that earth was a sphere that rotated

on its axis and revolved around the sun.• Their most famous mathematician of the Gupta Empire, Aryabhata, was the first to use

algebra. They also introduced the concept of zero (0).• After Arabs conquered parts of India in the 8th century CE, Arab scholars adopted the

Indian system. In turn, European traders borrowed it from the Arabs. It spread through Europe in the 1200s. Today its called the Indian Arabic numerical system.

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1. The Mauryans & the Guptas: Science & Mathematics

Tuesday, March 24, 15

• Primary Source Readings - various dates

• Project: Time Travel Brochure - April 10

• Knowledge Assessment I - April 17

• Historical Research Paper (Essay I) - April 24

• Historical Portfolio - May 1

5. What’s Due?

Tuesday, March 24, 15