S.S. Ch.10 Lesson 4

The Struggle for United Rule
Ancient India was divided into many city-states with its each own ruler.
Kings fought one another to rule the Ganges River
Controlling the Ganges River meant controlling trade
No one ruler had united ancient India because of its geography
Peninsula and mountain ranges
The Struggle for United Rule
In 518 B.C., King Darius of Persian Empire led his army to India in search of new territory and plunder
They claimed lands in the Indus River Valley and western Punjab
In 327 B.C., Alexander led his troops into India but failed to conquer all of India
Chandragupta Maurya was an Indian ruler who defeated the Greeks and founded the Maurya Empire
He united the lands he conquered under his rule.
The Struggle for United Rule

The Maurya EmpireChandragupta Maurya formed a well organized empire
Cleared lands
Drained swamps
Improved roads
He funded all these activities by taxes
Ruling people lived well but common people suffered
He was a cruel ruler, who used Arthashastra as a guide

Chandragupta was hated by his people but expanded India across northern India
Fear of assassination, he slept in different rooms and had servants taste his food for poison
Chandragupta’s son, Bindusara, took over in 297 B.C.
He was also a cruel leader like his father
However, Ashoka (asoka), was one of the greatest rulers in ancient India

Reign of Ashoka
Ashoka united and extended the Maurya Empire into Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan
He was a cruel and violent ruler who experienced a turning point in life which turned him into a peaceful and loving Buddhist
He made many political and moral achievements
Established Buddhism as state religion
Sent out missionaries to spread Buddhism

Edicts- commands

Reign of Ashoka
Ashoka expanded the Empire. At first,
he was a cruel ruler. After, he became a
Buddhist, however, his reign became
noted for his political and moral
achievements.


Ancient India became a land of small kingdoms
In A.D. 320, the Gupta Empire began to rise
Rulers: Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Changdragupta II
They were not related to Changdragupta of the Maurya Empire
The period of the Gupta Empire has become to be known as India’s Golden Age
It was a time of peace, wealth, and great achievementIndia’s Golden AgeHinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism grew
Kalidasa
Best-known poet and plawright who wrote about love, war, and kings
Panchatantra(folktales)
Many artists worked on frescoes
Ajanta cave
Ancient temple in India that describes Buddha’s life

India’s Golden Age
In about A.D. 320, the Gupta Empire
began. India’s Golden Age of wealth
and cultural achievement occurred
during this time.
Indian Intellectual Achievements
Indian mathematics first used a base-ten number system called the Hindu-Arabic numerals
Doctors…
Developed ways of setting broken bones
Inoculations
Helped woman give birth