Pre-classical and Classical INDIA

Pre-classical and ClassicalPre-classical and ClassicalINDIAINDIA

The Vedic Age

The foundations for Hinduism were

established!

Aryan Migration

pastoral depended on their cattle.

warriors horse-drawn chariots.

Sanskrit

writing

The Vedas Series of books

written in SANSKRIT.

Religious text is the Hindu core of beliefs

Upanishads = establishes relationship of soul to BrahmanRig Veda oldest

work.Rig Veda oldest work.

Varna (Social Hierarchy)

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

Kshatriyas Kshatriyas

Those with no caste: Untouchables

Those with no caste: Untouchables

BrahminsBrahmins

What is a JATI?

The Caste SystemSOCIAL CLASSES=

Purusha’s mouth

arms

legs

feet

BrahminsBrahmins

KshatriyasKshatriyas

VaishyasVaishyas

ShudrasShudras

The Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya EmpireThe Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE321 BCE – 185 BCE

CHANDRAGUPTACHANDRAGUPTACHANDRAGUPTACHANDRAGUPTA

Chandragupta Maurya unified Chandragupta Maurya unified northern India. Extremely northern India. Extremely centralized!centralized!

Divided empire intoDivided empire into provinces & districts provinces & districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.

Feared assassination Feared assassination food food tasters, slept in different rooms, tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & becamebecame a Jain. a Jain.

KautilyaKautilyaKautilyaKautilya

Chandragupta’s advisor.Chandragupta’s advisor.

Wrote the Wrote the ArthashastraArthashastra::

A guide for the king and his A guide for the king and his ministersministers

Supports royal power.Supports royal power.

The great evil in society is The great evil in society is anarchyanarchy..

Therefore, a single authority is Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when needed to employ force when necessary! necessary!

Ashoka Ashoka 304-232 BCE304-232 BCEAshoka Ashoka 304-232 BCE304-232 BCE Ashoka = most important Ashoka = most important

ruler of Mauryaruler of Maurya

Religious conversion Religious conversion after gruesome after gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga

religiously tolerantreligiously tolerant

Patronized BuddhismPatronized Buddhism

ConflictConflict how to balance how to balance Kautilya’sKautilya’s methods of keeping methods of keeping powerpower and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless become a selfless person?person?

MauryaMauryan n

Empire Empire under under

Ashoka Ashoka – –

HUGE!HUGE!

MauryaMauryan n

Empire Empire under under

Ashoka Ashoka – –

HUGE!HUGE!

Ashoka’s law Ashoka’s law codecode

Ashoka’s law Ashoka’s law codecode Written mostly inWritten mostly in

Sanskrit, but one was in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic – Greek and Aramaic –

Cosmopolitan (diverse)Cosmopolitan (diverse)

empire!empire!

Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his laws.laws.

Focus on: nonviolence, morality, &Focus on: nonviolence, morality, &religious tolerationreligious toleration

Note the pillar on the left!Note the pillar on the left!

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:Turmoil & a power Vacuum:220 BCE – 320 CE220 BCE – 320 CE

Tamils

Tamils

The Mauryan Empire gets divided into The Mauryan Empire gets divided into many kingdomsmany kingdoms

Gupta EmpireGupta Empire: 320 CE – : 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta EmpireGupta Empire: 320 CE – : 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta RulersGupta RulersGupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II

r. 320 – 335 CEr. 320 – 335 CE

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II r. 375 - 415 CEr. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade of Profitable trade of cotton & peppercotton & pepper

Guptas were Hindu, Guptas were Hindu, not Buddhistsnot Buddhists

Less centralized & Less centralized & smaller than Mauryansmaller than Mauryan

Theater StateTheater State

Xuanzang: Life in Gupta Xuanzang: Life in Gupta India India

Xuanzang: Life in Gupta Xuanzang: Life in Gupta India India

§ Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Roads and visited India in the 5c. Silk Roads and visited India in the 5c.

§ He was following the pathHe was following the path of the Buddha. of the Buddha.

§ He reported the people to He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, rapidly assuming its basic features, includingincluding "untouchability," the social isolation of a "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowestlowest class that is doomed to menial labor. class that is doomed to menial labor.

Empire under Chandra Empire under Chandra Gupta IIGupta II

Empire under Chandra Empire under Chandra Gupta IIGupta II

International Trade Routes International Trade Routes during the Guptasduring the Guptas

International Trade Routes International Trade Routes during the Guptasduring the Guptas

Extensive TradeExtensive Trade Extensive TradeExtensive Trade

spices

spices

spicesspiceshorseshorses

cottoncotton

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

GuptaGuptaArtArt

GuptaGuptaArtArt

Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &

architecture.architecture.

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine

MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedicinal guidesmedicinal guides

1000 diseases1000 diseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformedperformed

InoculationsInoculations

500 healing500 healingplants identifiedplants identified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero

PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The earthThe earthis roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievementsAchievements

Gupta Gupta AchievementsAchievements

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas Invasion by White Huns in the Invasion by White Huns in the

500s = end of the Gupta Golden 500s = end of the Gupta Golden AgeAge

decline of Gupta empire - north decline of Gupta empire - north India broke into many separate India broke into many separate Hindu kingdoms ruled by rajputsHindu kingdoms ruled by rajputs

Indian History: Unity v. DisunityIndian History: Unity v. Disunity