Chapter 9-State,Society & the Quest for Salvation in India Flashcards
how was India politically organized?
It was organized into regional kingdoms
Name the 2 major empires in India.
Mauryan empire and Gupta empire
What were the foundations for chandragupta Maurya’s empire?
-centralized & unified
-relied on advisor for:
bureaucracy
ctrl of trade & agri.
foreign relations
Who was the ruler that came after chandragupta maurya? & what did the new ruler do?
Ashoka Maurya who was his grandson & he had:
- bureaucracy
- edicts
- irrigation agri. & trade roads w/shade, wells & inns
Why did the Mauryan empire decline?
Bc of economic problems that happened since the bureaucrats salaries were too high the currency got debased.
Describe the Gupta empire.
Smaller & organized differently:
-more decentralized bc local administration & basic policy was left to regional allies
Describe the decline of Gupta empire.
Invasion of white Huns (nomadic ppl) —> going back to regional kingdoms
How was the trade in India?
There were both land & sea routes (for sea routes sailors used monsoon winds) & trade increased as other empires developed more manufacturing
Describe family life & social structure in India.
- patriarchal & nuclear families
- caste system
- ^ trade —> formation of new groups (merchants & artisans) —> formation of subcaste called jati
What were the religions of salvation in classical India?
Jainism, Buddhism & Hinduism
What was Jainism about? What was its appeal?
That everything has a soul & one must be pure from selfish behavior; the appeal was that there was no social hierarchy (appealed to people of lower castes)
What was the doctrine of early Buddhism called & what did it say?
The 4 noble truths:
- all life involves suffering
- desire causes suffering
- elimination of desire will eliminate suffering
- eliminate desire by following the Eight Fold Path
What was the appeal of early Buddhism?
- no caste system
- support of Ashoka
What’s the difference between early Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism?
3 changes:
- Buddha = god
- Boddhistavas to help guide members
- monasteries accepted gifts for salvation
Why was Hinduism so popular?
It was evolved to a religion of salvation that addressed needs of ordinary people
