5.4  –  Indian  Empires    Essential  Question:  How  do  India’s  rich  

           history  and  culture  affect  the  world  today?                          Big  Idea:  The  Maurayas  and  the  Guptas  built  

great  empires  in  India.              

                                 

Key Term Definition Memory Clue  

Candragupta  Maurya    

 

A  military  leader,  who  seized  control  of  the  entire  northern  part  of  India  and  founded  the  Mauryan  Empire    

 

   

Asoka    

The  strongest  of  all  the  Mauryan  emperors,  who  eventually  converted  to  Buddhism  and  used  missionaries  to  spread  the  religion's  beliefs    

 

 Candra  Gupta  II  

 

The  emperor  who  ruled  during  Gupta  society’s  most  prosperous  high  point  

 

Ancient India

 A. Mauryan  Empire  Unifies  India  

 In  the  320s  BC,  a  military  leader  named  _____Candragupta______  _____Maurya_________  seized  

control  of  the  entire  northern  part  of  India.  By  doing  so,  he  founded  the  ____Mauryan_______  Empire,  

which  lasted  for  about  150  years.    Chandragupta  Maurya  ruled  his  empire  with  the  help  of  a  

___complex________  government.    It  included  a  network  of  ______spies_______  and  a  huge  army  of  some  

600,000  soldiers,  who  used  ___war______  _____elephants__________  and  chariots.    In  301  BC,  Candragupta  

decided  to  become  a  _____Jainist_______  monk,  so  he  had  to  give  up  his  throne.    He  passed  the  throne  to  

his  son,  who  continued  to  expand  the  empire.  

Around  270  BC,  Chandragupta's  grandson,  ____Asoka______  became  king.    Asoka  was  the  

_____strongest_______  of  all  the  Mauryan  emperors.    A  few  years  into  his  rule,  however,  Asoka  converted  

to  _____Buddhism_______. When  he  did,  he  swore  that  he  would  not  launch  any  more  wars  of  conquest.

Asoka  had  ___wells______  dug,  shade  trees  planted,  rest  houses  built,  and  ____roads_____  built  throughout  

the  empire. He  also  encouraged  the  spread  of  Buddhism  in  India  and  the  rest  of  Asia  through  the  work  

of  ___missionaries___.    Soon  after  Asoka  died,  the  empire  fell  apart  and  India,  once  again,  was  divided  

into  smaller  _____states_____.  

                                         

 

 B. Gupta  Rulers  Promote  Hinduism  

 After  the  collapse  of  the  Mauryan  Empire,  India  remained  ____divided______  for  about  500  years.    

During  that  time,  _____Buddhism_______  continued  to  prosper  and  spread  in  India,  and  so  the  popularity  

of  Hinduism  declined.    Eventually,  however,  the  _____Gupta________  Dynasty  took  over  India  around  AD  

320.  Under  the  Guptas,  India  was  once  again  __united__,  and  it  became  prosperous.    Indian  civilization  

flourished  under  the  Gupta  rulers.    These  rulers  were  ___Hindus____,  so  ______Hinduism_____  became  

India’s  major  religion.    The  Gupta  kings  built  many  Hindu  ____temples_____  and  also  promoted  a  revival  

of  Hindu  writings  and  worship  practices.    Although  they  were  Hindus,  the  Gupta  rulers  also  supported  

the  religious  beliefs  of  _____Buddhism_____  and  ______Jainism_____.  

In  375,  Emperor  ___Candra____  _____Gupta_____  __II____  took  the  throne  in  India.    Gupta  society  

reached  its  highpoint  during  his  rule.    The  Gupta  considered  the  ____caste_____  ______system_______  an  

important  part  of  Indian  society  because  they  thought  it  would  keep  the  empire  _____stable_____.    

However,  by  the  middle  500s,  the  ____Huns_______  had  invaded  and  Gupta  rule  had  ended.    India  divided  

into  ___small______  kingdoms  yet  again.  

     

 

 

Main  Idea  #2:  Gupta  rulers  promoted  Hinduism  in  their  empire.    

 

Q:      What  was  India  like  after  the  fall  of  the  Mauryan  Empire?      

A:  India  stayed  divided  for  about  500  years  after  the  Mauryan  Empire  fell.    

Q:      Who  were  Candra  Gupta  and  Candra  Gupta  II?      

A:  Candra  Gupta  I  was  the  founder  of  the  Gupta  Empire,  and  Candra  Gupta  II  was  the  emperor  under  whom  Gupta  society  reached  its  high  point.    

Q:      Why  did  the  Gupta  rulers  support  the  caste  system?      

A:  Gupta  rulers  believed  the  caste  system  would  make  the  empire  more  stable.    

Q:      How  do  you  think  India  would  be  different  today  if  the  Gupta  rulers  had  not  taken  over?      

A:  Answers  may  vary.    Possibly,  India  could  be  mostly  Buddhist.    

Q:        What  ended  the  Gupta  rule?      

A:  The  invasion  of  the  Huns  ended  Gupta  rule.    

Q:        What  responsibilities  and  rights  did  Gupta  women  have?      

A:  N/A    

 

Reading  Checks    

 

Q:      How  did  the  Mauryans  gain  control  of  most  of  India?      

A:  Mauryans  gained  control  of  most  of  India  by  conquering  neighboring  kingdoms.    

Q:        What  was  the  Gupta  dynasty’s  position  on  religion?      

A:  Even  though  Gupta  rulers  were  Hindus,  they  supported  the  beliefs  of  Buddhism  and  Jainism.  

 

  Main  Idea  #1:  The  Mauryan  Empire  unified  most  of  India.    .        

Q:      Who  was  Candragupta?      

A:    Candragupta  was  a  military  leader,  who  seized  control  of  the  entire  northern  part  of  India  and  founded  the  Mauryan  Empire.    

Q:      What  was  Candragupta  Maurya’s  government  like?      

A:  Candragupta’s  military  was  complex,  made  up  of  spies  and  a  large  army,  including  war  elephants  and  chariots.    

Q:      How  did  becoming  a  Buddhist  change  Asoka’s  behavior?      

A:  Once  Asoka  became  a  Buddhist,  he  vowed  not  to  wage  any  more  wars.