India: The Aryan Empire
The Aryans were a nomadic people
who arrived in the northwest area of
India around the Indus River.
With iron technology they were
able to create weapons to
conquer land. The creation of
the iron plow allowed them to
farm in the Ganges river area.
What natural barriers are in the yellow area?
Then what would we consider the area in the
red to be? (Remember our vocabulary word)
India: The Aryan Empire
• The Aryans set up citystates, each with its
own ruler.
– “Raja” is their word for
“prince.”
• Around 1000BC the
Aryans developed a
system of writing called
SANSKRIT.
• Religion: Hinduism
India: The Aryan Empire
• Aryans created a social
system in order to
organize the people.
– Called the Caste System
• Caste lines are based on
birth and there is no
way to change classes.
• “Untouchables” or Pariah at the
bottom were considered outside
the social order.
Copy this diagram into your
notes
India: The Mauryan Empire
Years of existence =
324 BC - 183 BC
Founded by:
Chandragupta Maurya
However, the greatest ruler of
the Mauryans was Asoka.
India: The Mauryan Empire
• Asoka wanted to
improve the lives of the
people.
– Built roads
– Built hospitals
– Built schools
– Converted to
Buddhism and built
temples in honor of
Buddha.
India: The Gupta Empire
• Years of existence=
320 AD – 550 AD
• Founder: Chandragupta
• Expanded through war
and trade.
• Empire fell due to Hun
invasions from beyond
the Himalaya Mtns.
• Referred to as the
Golden Age of India.
Gupta Accomplishments
Built universities
Art and literature
Math
-The ideas of zero
and infinity
-Arabic numerals
Science
-Charted the stars
-Knew the earth was round,
rotated on an axis, and
revolved around the sun.
China
Can someone go find China on the map?
Huang He
“Yellow”
River
Yangtze
River
China: Zhou Dynasty
1027BC – 221BC
Two religions
appeared
during this
time:
Confucianism
& Daoism
Gave land to
nobles for military
service
Conquered
neighbors and
made them
part of China.
Established
a belief
called the
“Mandate
of Heaven.”
China: Zhou Dynasty
The Mandate of
Heaven believed that
the ruler was chosen
by heaven and that
heaven would
overthrow a bad ruler.
China: Zhou Dynasty
China: Qin Dynasty
• Years =
221B.C. to 206 B.C.
• One ruler expanded the
dynasty’s territory, but
he was a harsh ruler
who rejected
Confucianism.
• He believed people
were bad and needed
strong governments to
punish them (Legalism).
How does that philosophy fit
with the Mandate of
Heaven?
China: Qin Dynasty Accomplishments
• Divided China into
districts
• Built roads and canals
• Created a uniform
system of writing and
measurements
• Built the
Great Wall
of China
China: Han Dynasty
• Years = 206BC – 220AD
• Inventions
– Paper
– Led glazed ceramics
– Improved silk weaving
• Religion: Confucianism
• Created a test for government officials in order to
have the best people leading the country. This
weakened the nobility (rich) and based promotion on
hard work rather than social class.