3. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN
3.1. Resultados
3.1.1. Plataformas móvil y fija
The rulers of the Magadha kingdom were the first to try to unify much of India. Their efforts helped protect India from a new round of invasions. The kingdom of Magadha was at its most powerful in 540 B.C., under King Bimbisara. Sometime between about
520 B.C. and 510 B.C., the Persian ruler Darius the Great sent an army to invade the
Indus River valley. Darius held the area for a time as part of the Persian Empire, but Magadha soon regained control and held the area until its rule ended in about 320 B.C.
Chandragupta Maurya. As Magadha was declining, a powerful young adventurer named Chandragupta Mauryaappeared on the scene. He established the Mauryan Empire. The Mauryans ruled for almost 150 years.
The Main Idea
The Mauryans and Guptas established the first Indian empires to control most of the subcontinent.
4
4
How did the Mauryan rulers increase their power? What were the reasons for the decline of Gupta rule?
Chandragupta Maurya A´soka
Chandra Gupta II
National boundaries are the location of many conflicts today. Use or other current event
sources to identify locations where a boundary dispute is ongoing. Record your findings in your journal.
Because a Greek diplomat at the Mauryan court kept a detailed record of his expe- riences, we know much about Chandragupta Maurya’s rule. Chandragupta built a grand palace at Pataliputra on the Ganges River. He raised an army of 600,000 soldiers who were equipped with thousands of chariots and elephants. His army united northern India from the Ganges River to the region west of the Indus. Chandragupta conquered all of northwestern India up to the Hindu Kush.
Chandragupta Maurya was an able ruler who established a rigid bureaucracy to carry out his commands. Under his rule workers dug mines and built centers for spinning and weaving. Chandragupta standardized weights and measures throughout the empire and established standards for physicians.
Chandragupta also made many enemies. The Greek diplomat wrote that the ruler slept in a different room each night for fear of attempts on his life. Because of the dangers of assassination, strong precautions were taken for the ruler’s safety. In about 300 B.C. he gave up his throne to his son, Bindus¯ara.
A´soka. Chandragupta’s grandson,A´soka,came to power in about 270 B.C. A´soka
proved to be an even greater ruler than his grandfather. Early in his rule, A´soka fought bloody wars to increase the size of his kingdom. He enlarged the Mauryan Empire until it included all of India except the southern tip of the subcontinent. Thus the Mauryans became the first imperial dynasty to hold nearly all of India.
In time A´soka became sickened by the bloody battles he had fought. He ordered an end to the killing and became a Buddhist. Many other Indian people also became Buddhists about this time. A´soka sent a relative as a missionary to Ceylon. He also sent missionaries to other countries, thus spreading the Buddhist faith. A´soka reversed many of the policies of his father and grandfather. His laws were carved into stone pil- lars set up in public places. On one pillar he carved this quote reflecting his views about religious tolerance:
“
The Beloved of the Gods. . . honors members of all sects. . . . Whoever honors his own sect and disparages [speaks ill of] another man’s . . . does his own sect the greatest possible harm. Concord [harmony] is best, with each hearing and respecting each other’s teachings.”
A´soka, from William Theodore de Bary et al., Sources of Indian Tradition The Mauryan conquests brought many different peoples and states under imperial control. In an effort to unite his diverse empire, A´soka worked to improve living conditions throughout the subcontinent. He explained, “On the roads I have had banyan trees planted which will give shade to beasts and men.” He also ordered wells to be dug and had rest houses built along trade routes. The later years of A ´soka’s rule were remembered as a time of cultural and political advance in India.
A´soka died in about 232 B.C. and the strength of the Mauryan Empire began a
slow decline. His sons battled one another for control of the throne, and invaders from the north and east attacked the empire’s northern provinces. Finally, in 184 B.C., the
last Mauryan emperor was killed by one of his Brahmin generals, who declared the beginning of a new imperial dynasty. After some 140 years, the once mighty Mauryan Empire collapsed.
READING CHECK: Making Generalizations In general, how did the Mauryan rulers increase the power and size of their empire?
✔
A ´soka became a dedicated Buddhist late in his life. His great reputation and authority helped to spread Buddhism throughout India. However, as ruler of India, A´soka supported religious freedom for all people.
A´soka also carried out a number of good works. For example, he built animal hos- pitals and passed laws punish- ing those who were cruel to animals. How did A´soka show his respect for all life?
A´soka
(unknown–c. 232 B.C.)
go.hrw.com
KEYWORD: Holt Researcher
FreeFind:
Chandragupta Maurya
After reading more about Chandragupta Maurya on the Holt Researcher, evaluate how his political rule changed India.
68 CHAPTER 3
SECTION 4REVIEW
SECTION 4REVIEW
1. Identifyand explain the significance: Chandragupta Maurya A´soka
Chandra Gupta II
2. Categorizing Copy the chart below. Use it to identify which rulers supported Hinduism, which supported Buddhism, and which supported both religions.
3.
a. In what ways did the Mauryan Empire differ from previous empires and kingdoms in ancient India?
b. Why might the period of early Gupta rule be called a “golden age” in India?
4.
Analyzing Information Write a paragraph explaining how the Mauryan and Gupta rulers persuaded people to support them in power.
Consider:
• what Chandragupta Maurya and his successors did to con- solidate their power
• how the Gupta rulers may have responded to invaders from central Asia
keyword: SP3 HP3