Chandragupta and Ashoka

MAURYAN EMPIRE

WHO WAS CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA?

• 340 BC—298 BC• Unified India into 1st

Hindu-centered empire

• Ruled India from 322-298

• Won battles to keep his kingdom

• Accepted Jainism in his later years

• Gave up his throne• Fasted to death

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Maurya

It gained a very organized governmentIt centered around HinduismIt unified the small Aryan states (thus creating India)

Strong economy (trade)Art and architectureBuddhism and Jainism became popular

HOW DID INDIA CHANGE UNDER CHANDRAGUPTA’S RULE?

MAURYA EMPIRE 320 BCE- CONQUERS THE NANDA EMPIRE

AND IN 20 YEARS, DOES THIS:

ASHOKA MAURYA

• The Grandson of Chandragupta

• 273-232 BC• Ruled India from 269-232

BC• Fought and killed the

Kalinga • Expanded the empire • Converted to Buddhism

and rejects violence• Spreads peaceful living

through empire

wikipedia

Made Buddhism state religionMade empire peacefulCreated Buddhist monuments all over the place33 edicts about Buddhism and life in generalDevotes life to bettering the lives of people

and animals (no animals or people can be harmed or killed)

Set up roads and treasury

Fun Ashoka Fact: He created the world’s first known animal hospitals!

HOW DID INDIA CHANGE UNDER ASHOKA?

THE MAURYAN EMPIRE UNDER ASHOKA

wikipedia

ONE OF THE PILLARS OF ASHOKA

STUPA OF ASHOKA

wikipedia

TEMPLE

wikipedia

“BUDDHIST PROSELYTISM AT THE TIME OF KING ASHOKA ” ( T H A N K S

H T T P : / / E N . W I K I P E D I A . O R G / W I K I / E D I C T S _ O F _ A S H O K A )

Buddhism died out in IndiaBut remained in lots of other placesKingdom split up between sons– the usual

happens; jealousy, in-fighting eventual shattering of an empire.Quickened by invaders

By 200 BC the Maurya Empire was all but lost. 500 years later we get the Gupta Empire (more on that next week)

DEATH OF ASHOKA

HEY KIDS, GET READY TO DO SOME SHADING ON YOUR MAPS!

( F O L L O W I N G M A P S C O U RT E S Y O F W I K I P E D I A )

MAGAHDA EMPIRE 5TH CENTURY

NANDA EMPIRE 323 BCE

MAURYA EMPIRE 320 BCE

MAURYA EMPIRE 305 BCE

STILL MORE (MAUR?) MAURYA 300 BCE

THE MAURYA EMPIRE UNDER ASHOKA 265 BC

SO TO RECAP--

Pre-Maurya Empire At the height of the Maurya Empire