Chapter 9: India Flashcards
Who was Chandragupta Maurya and why was he important?
Chandragupta took the opportunity to expand the Mauryan empire by seizing control of small remote regions and eventually taking control of India from the Indus to the Ganges.
How did Chandragupta run the Mauryan empire?
a political handbook known as the arthashastra offered detailed instructions on how to govern. They also encouraged the use of spies
Who was Ashoka Maurya? Why is he important?
Chandragupta’s grandson Ashoka conquered Kalinga. He ruled through tightly organized bureaucracy. Through his rule the region became well integrated
Describe the Mauryan empire
Encouraged the expansion of agriculture and trade as well as welcomed differing travelers. Buddhism was the main religion
Describe the decline of the Mauryan empire
After Ashoka died, the administrative costs of military outstripped the revenues that flowed into the central treasury.
What succeeded the Mauryan empire?
Bactrian empire, then the Kushan empire, and finally the guptan empire
Who was Chandra Gupta?
Leader of the guptan empire
Describe the Gupta emperor
Left local government and policy making to the hands of their allies unlike the mauryans who insisted on knowing the details of regional affairs
How did the Gupta empire decline?
A long war with the white Huns weakened their state and lead to decline
What was trade like in both empires?
Demand for manufactured goods increased dramatically, long distance trade occurred between Persia through China. Cottons, pepper, pearls, and gems were the principle Indian exports. Eventually the knowledge of winds lead to safe sea trade
Describe Indian social relations
Patriarchal dominance was very pronounced. There were four main castes of people. Later the jati (sub castes) assumed much of the responsibility for maintaining social order.
What was Jainism?
A belief that individuals could only undergo purification by observing the principle of nonviolence. People went as far as sweeping the ground as they walked to avoid harming invisible things. Appealed to people because there were no social classes
Who was Siddhartha Gautama?
The founder of Buddhism who left his life and found enlightenment. He understood how humans could eliminate suffering from the world. He became the “Buddha” or the enlightened one.
What was the Buddhist doctrine?
The Buddhist doctrine, dharma, was composed of the four nobles truths (all life involves suffering, desire is the cause of suffering, elimination of desire ends suffering, conducting life in accordance to the eightfold path eliminates suffering.) and the eightfold path.
What was the appeal of Buddhism?
No social classes and not as rigorous as Jainism
What were boddhisatvas?
Individuals who had reached spiritual perfection but intentionally delayed their entry into Nirvana in order to help others who were still struggling
What were Hindu ethics?
They held out the promises of salvation to those who participated actively in the world and met their cast responsibilities. People should perform their duties faithfully concentrating on their actions alone with no thought to their consequences
Describe the appeals of Buddhism?
Hinduism surpassed Buddhism as the most popular religion because Buddhist monks did not seek to communicate their message to larger masses
What was the kingdom of magadha and how did it form?
Magadha filled the political void that was left when Alexander of Macedonia destroyed existing states and withdrew his forces.
