6.3 Maurya Empire.notebook
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November 05, 2014
Oct 255:43 PM
Maurya EmpireChandragupta Maurya = military leader who united Northern India
and started the Maurya Empire (321 BCE) He defeated Seleucus I, one of Alexander the Great's generals, to create an Empire that controlled by the Indus and Ganges River Valleys
*** Chandragupta Maurya was able to unite Northern India for the first time
Oct 256:09 PM
Governing the Maurya EmpireChandragupta Maurya established a bureaucracy to govern his empire He divided his territory into 4 provinces Each province was then broken down into districts to regulate tax collection and law enforcement
Chandragupta relied heavily on an advisor named Kautilya
Kautilya wrote a political handbook called the Arthasastra
Advice given to Chandragupta on how to govern his empireThe handbook suggested:
1.King should rely heavily on spies (on his own citizens)2. Secret police force 3.All citizens should carry identification papers4. Supports war against weak neighbors
Oct 256:59 PM
Maurya Empire cont...299 BCE = Chandragupta Maurya handed his Empire over to his son Bindusara
Little is known of Bindusara except that he extended the borders of the Mauryan Empire into the southern part of India
After his 25 year reign, Bindusara's son Asoka took control of the Mauryan Empire
Oct 258:04 PM
Asoka (Ashoka) 274 236 BCEAsoka's control of the Empire can be broken into 2 periods:
1) Period of military expansion2) Period of peace and religious worship
Military ExpansionAsoka followed Kautilya's philosophy of waging war to expand his power
262 BCE = Asoka attacked the people of Kalinga (Orissa)
The war was extremely hard fought resulting in 100,000 soldiers dying 150,000 prisoners were taken Several hundreds of thousands innocent civilians died of starvation and pestilence
(disease)
** The Kalinga War was very devastating and Asoka shifted his focus from military conquests to religious worship
Oct 258:17 PM
Asoka converts to Buddhism Although Asoka was victorious in the Kalinga War, he felt sorrow and regret, he then became dedicated to practicing Buddhism
For the rest of his life Asoka followed the basic principles of Buddhism:
Asoka did not fight any more wars Protection/appreciation for animals Treat citizens fairly and humanely
Edicts of Asoka = On huge rocks & stone pillars, Asoka wrote down his new policies
**Special officials were appointed to prevent unlawful punishment or imprisonment, help the sick and poor, and to increase religious toleration throughout the Empire
Edicts of Asoka
Oct 258:29 PM
Major Achievements of the Mauryan Empire1) Road System of Asoka Asoka commissioned the building of roads that would connect the cities and towns of his empire
2) Mauryan Art/Architecture Asoka's pillars were designed in the Hellenistic style Buddhist Stupas were constructed throughout the empire
3) Buddhism Spreads Asoka used his role as Emperor to foster the spread of buddhism Buddhism went from a small practiced religion to the 2nd most popular religion in India
4) Asoka's Law Code Edicts or Laws were scattered in over 30 places throughout the Empire Written in Sanskrit Buddhist principles dominate most of the law codes
