Information covering Ch3, S1-4 in your textb

1. Early Indian History
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2. 2

3. Rise of universal monarchy
 Approximately 4th BCE
 326 BCE invasion by
Alexander the Great. He
dies 323 BCE. What
happens next?
 Greeks make agreement
with the growing Northern
Empire of Chandragupta
Maurya
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4. Mauryan Empire
Greeks leave India
Chandragupta takes over as
leader of the Mauryan Empire –
4th BCE
Capital = MAGADA (note
location)
MAGADHA
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5. Chandragupta’s reign (321 BCE)
 Extends empire from Hindu Kush to
Bay of Bengal but…
Can’t Conquer All of India
Interesting Fact
 Machiavelli (an Italian)
wrote The Prince
 Kautiliya
Wrote the Arthasastra or The Science
of Government . . . 10 centuries
before…
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6. Asoka’s Reign (269-232 BCE)
 Succeeded Chandragupta
 “Ashoka’s edicts” were carved in
rock
Emphasized:
– Equality: there was flexibility in
the caste system
– Peace: non-violence to all living
creatures
Asoka (Ashoka)
the Great
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7. Asoka’s accomplishments
 Spread Buddhist philosophy
Built stupas
 Public works…
Hospitals, Veterinary clinics,
Bathhouses,
wells, rest-houses for travelers
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8. Stupa built by Asoka
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9. Gupta Empire 4th - 6th CE (320- 535)
 Founded by Chandra Gupta I (no relation to the earlier one)
 Great period of prosperity
 (the “Golden Age of the Guptas”)
 Accomplishments:
Art, literature, trade, poetry, math (Indian mathematicians
contributions to study of decimal number system, zero, negative
numbers, arithmetic, and algebra.)
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10. India’s Caste System
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11. H IN D U I
S M
an
d
C AS T
E
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12. H i n d u /C a s t e
C o nc e p ts
 A tma n
E s s e n t i a l s e l f
( t h e “ s o u l” )
S e l f i s p a r t o f a
u n iv e r s a l
s oul (B ra hma n)
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13. Hindu/Caste Concepts
R e in c a r n a t io n
R e b i r t h o f the s o u l
in v a r io u s
( te m p o r a r y) fo r m s
C o n t i n u e s u n t i l o n e
re a c he s moks ha
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14. M a y a …B l o c k s k n o w l e d g e
o f B ra hma n & p re ve nts o ne
f r o m r e a c h in g m o k s h a
Are you “Living In a Material World” ???
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15. A Hindu dies and it is the. . .
G o a l o f lif e t o
F r e e t h e s o u l ( a t m a n ) f r o m
b o d y t o u n it e w it h B r a h m a n
Release from the physical world &
unification w/ B r a h m a n
is . . .
*M o k s h a
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16. K a rma
…s a ys e v e r y d e e d
( m e n t a l o r p h y s ic a l)
in t h is lif e a f f e c t s a
p e r s o n ’ s f a t e in a
f u t u r e lif e ( Yo u R e a p
W h a t Yo u S o w . )
…i s t h e s u m o r t o t a l
( o f d ha r m a s ) fr o m
y o u r p a s t liv e s .
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17. P e r i o d 2 4 /2 0
D ha rma
D u t ie s & o b lig a t io n s
O b e d ie n c e t o
c a s t e r u le s &
m o r a l la w s
( C a s t e R u le s
C r it e r ia )
– R it u a lly P u r e
P r a c t ic e s
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18. H in d u
C o nc e p ts
 C a s te S ys te m
P a n c h a y a t – F o u n d i n
t r a d it io n a l v illa g e In d ia
S t r i c t s o c i a l /r e l i g i o u s
orde r
B o r n i n t o & r e m a i n e d f o r
lif e
R e s u l t o f ‘ k a r m a ’
B r a h m i n s = c l o s e s t t o
moks ha 18

19. H in d u
C o nc e p ts
 C a s te S ys te m
B r a h m i n s = Priests, scholars
( c lo s e s t t o m o k s h a )
•Ks h a t r i y a s = Warriors, Rulers
• V a is y a s = Merchants, Craftsmen
•S u d r a s = Laborers, Serfs
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20. H in d u
C o nc e p ts
D a l i t s = O utc a s te s ,
U n t o u c h a b le s
Peasants, Laborers doing the dirtiest
work and jobs in society
This Work is considered “ritually impure”
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