October 19th and 20th

Turn in 3.1 and 7.2 homework Pick up papers off bookshelf Write down homework in agenda

CLASSICAL INDIAAryans Invaders Notes

Aryans Transform India

Aryans, a group of Indo-European people, came through NW mountain passes into the Indus River Valley around 1500 BCE

Left almost no archaeological record, but their sacred text, the Vedas, left an accurate picture

Mahabharata, a great epic, reflects struggles that took place in India as Aryans moved south

Aryans Transform India

Aryans Transform India

Called the Indians “dasas” (dark), who were shorter and spoke a different language

Formed the caste system, with the top three levels composing of Aryans, then the Indians

CLASSICAL INDIASocial System Notes

Brahmins (priests)

Warriors

Peasants or traders

Laborers

Untouchables (Butchers, gravediggers, trash collectors)

CLASSICAL INDIAIndia Empires Notes

Mauryan - Important Rulers

Chandragupta Maurya: gathered an army, killed Nanda king, in 321 BCE claimed the throne

Kautilya: advisor who wrote the ruler’s handbook, Arthasastra

Asoka: Chandragupta’s grandson who claimed the throne in 269 BCE and brought Mauryan Empire to its greatest heights; kept India politically unifed

Mauryan - Important Rulers

Mauryan - Accomplishments

divided into four provinces, each with a prince and local districts

Asoka was violent at first, switched to Buddhist idea of “peace to all beings”

Mauryan - Accomplishments

extensive roads, watering places and rest houses for travelers, religious toleration

Free hospitals and veterinary clinics

Mauryan - Decline

Asoka died in 232 BCE Regional princes challenged

imperial government a flood of new people fleeing from

Asia, who introduced new languages and customs

Gupta - Important Rulers

Chandra Gupta I: came to power by marrying an old royal family, took control in 320 CE

- his son, Samudra Gupta, became king in 335 CE, expanded the empire through war and conquest

his son, Chandra Gupta II, added Mediterranean trade to empire and used peaceful means to expand, like treaties and marriage

Gupta - Important Rulers

Gupta - Accomplishments

perfected stable village life with specific districts for merchants, irrigation, and reservoirs

expanded throughout the Indian subcontinent and spread Hindu culture

Gupta - Accomplishments

advancements in astronomy, modern numerals, the zero, the decimal system, and the value of pi

important medical guides were compiled

Gupta - Decline

Chandra Gupta II died a wave of Hunas invaders came into

northern India split into smaller kingdoms that

were eventually overrun by Huns and other central Asian nomads