The Han Dynasty kept China unified for over 400 years.

The emperors of the Han Dynasty established a centralized government, but wisely avoided many of the brutal excesses of the Qin.

Their rule lasted roughly the same time span as the Roman Empire.

Han China made tremendous advances in many fields.

Wrote texts on chemistry, zoology, and botany

Measured movements of stars and planets.

Invented seismograph to measure earthquakes.

Diagnosed diseases. Used herbal remedies and other drugs for treatments.

Developed anesthetics. Explored uses of acupuncture.

Made paper out of wood pulp.

Pioneered advanced methods of shipbuilding.

Invented the rudder, fishing reels, wheelbarrows, and suspension bridges.

Built grand temples and palaces.

Produced jade and ivory carvings and ceramic figures.

Improved bronze-working and silk-making techniques.

Economy:•They improved canals and roads

•They set up granaries across the empire

•They reorganized finances.•They imposed a government monopoly on iron and salt

•They opened up the Silk Road, a trade route linking China and the West.

Government:•They made Confucianism the official belief of the state.

•They relied on well-educated scholars to run the government.

•They used a civil service exam to find the most qualified officials.

The Han depended on taxation to maintain control over their territories.

The wealthy began to find ways to avoid paying taxes, so the burden fell to the merchants and the peasants.

By 22 B.C. revolts broke out all over the country.

Daoism gained popularity• Emphasized healing powers

Yellow Turbans were Daoist leaders who promised a golden age through magic• They criticized the government for being

weak and corrupt• 30,000 students protested (didn’t work)

Floods destroyed irrigation systems.

Widespread famine lead to further revolts in the south.

New epidemics spread through China

Buddhism spread

In reaction the “Later Han” government strengthened their control on the population and economy.

Like the earlier Han dynasties, though, the wealthy stopped paying taxes, the economy declined, the peasants revolted, and the Han Dynasty fell in 220 A.D.

Empire fractures into “Three Kingdoms” and “Six Dynasties.”

Gupta Dynasty Re-Unites India (Classical India)

375-550 CE• OVERVIEW:• Chandra Gupta

founded it• Peaceful• great traders• strong art, science

and mathematics• Hinduism

dominated• The Gupta have

strong central govt which allowed a degree of local control

Politics

• Chandra Gupta (320-335 AD)–Alliances & Conquest

–Consolidated Power & Territory

–Drove out the Kushans

• Samudra Gupta (335-375 AD)

• Chandra Gupta II (375-415 AD)–Decentralization

–Peace & Prosperity (Faxian)

Chandra Gupta I (reigned AD 320-c. 330), • Pataliputra : Mauryan capital: magnificent palaces,

temples, parks• Path to Power

– Increased the power and territory of his regional kingdom by marrying Princess Kumaradevi whose family controlled northern India/Nepal.

• Other N. Indian territories joined this alliance for protection and trade as his power grew

Kumardevi and Chandragupta I335-370 ceGold Dinar

Samudra Gupta (son of Chandra)

• launched wars of conquest across N. India

• Built a larger Gupta empire

• Wealth came from many mines owned by govt

Gupta Economy

• owned gold mines, silver mines, and vast lands.• rent money from farmers funded government (govt

owned the land)• Silk Road served Gupta, Han, Rome and Persia Dynasties• Indian merchants shipped ivory, jewels, and textiles, salt

and iron• The Romans traded glass, jewels, and clothes.• Chinese merchants traded silk, spices, tea, and porcelain.• The Gupta Empire profited greatly from religious trade

and religious pilgrims.

Gupta social life• VERY wealthy civilization• enjoyed gardens, music,

and daily bathing• ate lots of variety; rice,

bread, fish, milk, fruits and juices.

• slave labor • Hinduism became more

organized & temples became more important.

• Women lost rights compared to under Buddhism

• Child marriage became common for girls

• HINDUSIM returns as dominant religion

Gupta Math/Science• Invented numbers 1-9, decimal system, pi• Zero invented by Aryabata

• Charted planets and star movements

• recognized the Earth is round and rotates on its axis and revolves around sun.

• Indian physicians excelled in medicines, caesarean section, bone setting, and skin grafting, smallpox vaccination

Gupta Buddhist Art

• AJANTA CAVES

• depict the stories of Buddhism spanning from the period from 200 bce to 650 ce.

.

AJANTA CAVES

• During the 4th century c.e.

• Buddhist monasteries and prayer halls.

• twenty-nine caves • adorned with elaborate

painting and sculptures

the Sarnath Buddha

Gupta Decline

Later Gupta rulers lived extravagantly, which weakened the people’s loyalty.

–Guptas weakened by the expense of the War with White Huns and competing India kingdoms

–Still maintained a growing culture and economy.

White Huns c. 500ce invade through Kyber Pass and Ganges Valley• destroyed cities and reduced Hindu temples to rubble. • Feudal provinces declare independence when Gupta

are destroyed• Invaders are integrated into the warrior caste• Regional princes called Rajput

• India separates into independent kingdoms. • not unified again until the Muslims in the 11th century• Indian culture continued to grow without a unified

political system• New mother goddess (Devi)• Start using Hindi for religious text