India’s First Empires

1. India’s First Empires Chandragupta defeats Macedonian forces to take control of India back from Alexander the Great (303 BC) To run the empire, Chandragupta Maurya splits it up into four provinces, each headed by a prince. Each province essentially ran itself under officials to perform each duty (enforcing laws, collecting taxes, etc.) In 269 BC, Chadragupta’s grandson Asoka brings the Mauryan Empire to new heights

2. Rise/Decline of Mauryan life • Asoka initially rules over the empire like Chandragupta (militaristically); later relies on buddhism to rule the empire through religious toleration • Builds extensive roads with rest houses to improve travel • All of Asoka’s reforms still didn’t hold the empire together after his death in 232 BC • Regional kings begin challenging imperial governments, and Andhra Dynasty arises

3. Much of southern India is under influence of three Tamil kingdoms (they battle each other) • Rise of 2nd empire in N. India is under Chandra Gupta (not confused with Chandragupta) Chandra Gupta builds an Empire • Marries into nobility and names himself “Great King of Kings” in 320 AD • Fifteen years later (335 AD), Chandra Gupta’s war-like son Samudra Gupta takes over the empire • Samudra Gupta expands the empire with 40 years of conquests

4. Life in Gupta India • Majority of ppl are farmers • Merchants/craftspeople live in town districts • Families are patriarchal • Chandra Gupta II strengthens the dynasty from 375-415 AD through diplomatic and marriage alliances • After Gupta II’s death, the empire falls to the Hunas and other invaders around 535 AD

5. Trade Spreads Culture • Buddhism splits into two sects (but why?): Mahayana (less restrictive) and Theravada (original teachings) • Art begins to promote Buddha teachings- stupas and rock temples Hindu Rebirth • Trend towards monotheism began • One force made up of three gods • Brahma-creator of the world • Vishnu- preserver of the world* • Shiva- destroyer of the world*

6. Indian Achievements Literature and Arts • Kalidasa- court poet who writes Shakuntala • Drama (acting) spreads throughout India Astronomy, Math, Medicine • Traders use stars for navigation, develop a 7 day week, and divide days into hours • Propose that world is round after observing a lunar eclipse • Invent the idea of zero and the decimal system; also calculate pi and the length of the calendar year • Describe more than 1000 diseases, and performed surgeries

7. Spread of Indian Trade • India is rich in resources (diamonds, spices, gold, wood, pearls, etc.), leading to two kinds of trade: SEA AND OVERLAND • Invaders after Mauryan dynasty join the Great Silk Road (pg. 196) • Indian merchants assume the role as middle-men • Also traded using the Indian Ocean Trade Network • Most trading went to Rome, but some also went to Africa, China, etc.

8. Effects of Indian trade • Increased trade leads to banking (loans and interest) • Merchants move abroad, taking Indian culture with them • Merchants also take religion with them (Buddhism and Hinduism)

9. Han Emperors in China • After Shi Huangdi’s death in 210 BC, the Qin empire falls apart. • High taxes, labor quotas, and severe penal system • Liu Bang and Xiang Yu (leaders that emerge during civil war) battle for control of the new Han Dynasty (rules for 400 years) • Bang follows Huangdi’s idea of centralized power (provinces called commanderies answered to Bang) • Bang denounces legalism, lowering taxes and softening harsh punishment

10. After Liu Bang’s death, his soon takes over (not really); real ruler was Empress Lu (one of Bang’s wives) • Lu retains power by consistently naming different infants as emperor • Wudi (Bang’s great-grandson) takes control in 141 BC, and holds power longer than any other Han emperor. Named the “Martial Emperor) • Wudi defeats the Xiongnu; essentially expands the empire’s borders to present day China

11. Han Chinese Society • Highly structured- extensive bureaucracy used to help the emperors. Civil service exams ensure qualified ppl take office, and applicants are well trained in Confucianism • To fund the bureaucracy, gvmt levied taxes (farmers provided goods, merchants paid $); peasants owed a month military service/labor • With the peasant work, Han emperors built roads, canals, and ditches for irrigation. Also built the Great Wall of China • The civil service system allowed Chinese government to remain relatively stable up into the 20th century

12. Technology, Commerce, Culture • Paper invented 105 AD (spread education) • Collar Harness- horses able to pull heavier loads • Innovated plow, improved iron tools, wheelbarrow, and water mills Agriculture vs. Commerce • Population of Han China swells to 60 million • Commerce remains important because of silk

13. Han Unify China • Han encourage assimilation, send farmers out to settle new lands and meet locals, and also encourage marriages with locals Women’s role • Most women lived at home, but made important contributions in the home and in the farm fields • Upper class women were exceptions (Lu)

14. Fall of the Han • Under Han, rich get richer and poor get poorer • Divided plots of land lead to small land owners forced to give their land to large land owners. WHY? Large landowners don’t pay taxes on new land, so government is forced to tax small farmers more. MAKE SENSE? • Wang Ming (regent for infant emperor) overthrows the Han and claims power himself, ending first half of Han dynasty. Later killed in a rebellion because the wealthy didn’t like him for redistributing land. Three years later a relative of the first Han takes over

15. 2nd Han Dynasty • First decades of new Han Dynasty are prosperous • Within a century, the second Han suffered from the same economic imbalances, political abuses, and social unrest as previous Han. • By 220 AD, Han Dynasty splits into three kingdoms