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AIM: HOW DID THE GUPTA

EMPIRE COME TO POWER IN INDIA?

Global History and Geography Regents Review- Unit 2 Section 1

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BIG IDEASDuring Gupta Rule, the people of India

Experienced peace and prosperity under a strong government

Were influenced greatly by Hindu ideas

Produced many achievements in the arts and sciences

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KEY PEOPLE AND TERMS Gupta Dynasty Pataliputra Untouchables Joint Families Patriarchal Decimal System Arabic Numerals Stupas

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GEOGRAPHIC SETTING The Maurya Dynasty and the Gupta

Dynasty were the only early Indian Civilizations to unite the subcontinent under single rule. Mountains protected both from foreign

invaders The Indus and Ganges Rivers provided

water and fertile soil. The Gupta period was peaceful and

prosperous for India

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KabulIndus

River

Narbada River

Ganges River

Himalayas

DeccanPlateau

GuptaThese empires ruled in parts of what is now India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,Bangladesh, and Nepal

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POLITICAL SYSTEMS

The Gupta Emperors established a stable centralized government but also shared power with local leaders to help control the land. Only the most respected in society served on the local councils.

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HINDUISM AND GUPTA SOCIETY

The Caste System: Dominated local villages. People strongly followed the ideas of Karma and Dharma.

Those in the higher castes had to follow very strict rules to avoid being CONTAMINATED by the Untouchables who were the lowest caste and lived very harsh lives.

The Untouchables did work that was considered unclean like cleaning the streets and digging graves.

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Impact of Hinduism on Gupta Life

Caste System

Flowering of Cultural

Life

Intellectual Achievements

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ORGANIZATION OF FAMILY Patriarchal Structure: Father or

oldest male as head of household. Parents, children, grandparents, uncles, and their children shared common homes.

Children and Marriage: Marriages were arranged by parents. Hindu law required people to marry in their own caste.

Role of Women: Upper class women were restricted to their homes and if they had to go out they were forced to cover themselves from head to foot. Lower class women worked the fields.

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SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS

Mathematics: Developed the concept of zero and the

decimal system based on the number 10. Developed Arabic numerals:

0123456789 Medicine

Used herbs and other remedies Ability to set broken bones Repair injuries with plastic surgery Vaccinated people against smallpox

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SCIENTIFIC AND ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS

Architecture: Built stone Hindu Temples Carvings of Gods and Goddesses Buddhist built Stupas which were large

dome shaped shrines that contained the remains of holy people

Literature: Fables and Folktales were written and

passed throughout Persia, Egypt, and Greece

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COLLAPSE OF THE GUPTA EMPIRE

The Gupta Empire lasted 200 years:Weak rulers and foreign invaders known as

the White Huns from central Asia destroyed villages and disrupted Gupta trade.

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Gupta Empire Buddha Statue

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Gupta Hindu Temple