India

//__**Mauryan Empire (321 - 180 BCE)**__//

The Mauryan Empire rose around 321 BCE, stretching from the Indus River Valley through the Ganges River Valley and the Deccan Plateau. Chandragupta Maurya, its founder, made it was the largest empire in the country to date by unifying the smaller Aryan kingdoms into a civilization. While he established the Mauryan Empire, his grandson Ashoka Maurya brought the empire to its thriving point. Trade became the major part of their economy; the Mauryan Empire provided silk, cotton, and other valuable goods to Mesopotamia and the Roman Empire. The Mauryan Empire was also well known for it's military prowess. Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism following an especially gruesome battle brought the religion much prominence in a primarily Hindu region. Ashoka, having been changed by his conversion, created the Rock and Pillar Edicts, which reminded his subjects to live generously and respectfully. Ashoka's devotion to the religion was greatly responsible for its spread throughout India and much of southeast Asia. The empire began to collapse due to problems in the economy and aggressive attacks from the northeast shortly after Ashoka's death in 232 BCE.

- took advantage of accessibility to surrounding regions to capitalize on trade routes - Ashoka converts to Buddhism--> spread throughout empire and much of southeast Asia --> effects his policies (Rock and Pillar Edicts) - Chandragupta Maurya conquered the dispersed, smaller Aryan kingdoms and unified them under his rule - well known for military strength - trade was the biggest source of income for the empire - main source of rare, south-asian goods to outside regions - conversion to Buddhism altered social structures--> lessened division between classes on the social hierarchy.
 * Environment:**
 * Cultures:**
 * Statebuilding, Expansion, Conflict:**
 * Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems:**
 * Development and Transformation of Social Structures**


 * //__Gupta Dynasty (320 - 550 CE)__//**

Although the Mauryan Empire was suffering following the death of Ashoka, the empire was revived by Chandra Gupta from 375 to 415 CE. Even though the Gupta Empire lacked the mass and centralizatoin of the Mauryan Empire, it is looked upon as the golden age in India. The empire was relatively free of violence and conflicts, instead focusing more attention of development in culture in the form of the arts and sciences. The Gupta Dynasty also brought about about the revival of Hinduism as the primary religion of India. With Hinduism the social system of India, the caste system, was reinforced. The rigidity of the social systems led to women to lose a majority of their rights as well. The Gupta Dynasty eventually declined under attacks from the White Huns in 550 CE.


 * Environment:**

- revival of Hinduism as primary religion - major developments in the arts and sciences --> mathematicians developed concepts pi and zero --> decimal system using arabic numerals
 * Culture:**

- relatively free of conflicts - fell to military aggression from the White Huns
 * Statebuilding, Expansion, Conflict:**

- continued successful flow of trade
 * Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems:

- caste system (Hinduism reinforced --> greater separation between social groups --> women lost rights **
 * Development and Transformation of Social Structures:**

**Interaction between Humans and the Environment** – Demography and disease, Migration, Patterns of settlement, Technology


 * Development and Interaction of Cultures** – Religions, Belief systems, Science and technology, The arts and architecture

**State-building, Expansion, and Conflict** – Political structures and forms of governance, Empires, Nations and nationalism, Revolts and revolutions, Regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations

**Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems** – Agricultural and pastoral production, Trade and commerce, Labor systems, Industrialization, Capitalism and socialism


 * Development and Transformation of Social Structures** – Gender roles and relations, Family and kinship, Racial and ethnic constructions, Social and economic classes