Name __________________________________________ Date ___________ Class _______ Period _____ Maurya & Gupta Empires
Directions: Examine the documents below and answer the questions that follow. Arthashastra
“In the happiness of his subjects lies [a king’s] happiness, in their welfare his welfare. He shall not consider as good that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects.” 1. According to the quote from the Arthashastra, a Maurya handbook on governance, how should a ruler govern his people? _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Faxian’s Record of India
The Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian went on a journey to India from 399 to 414. In the following passage from his record of his journey, Faxian describes some aspects of life in Gupta India. “The people are numerous and happy;… only those who cultivate the royal land have to pay [a portion of] the grain from it. If they want to go, they go; if they want to stay on, they stay… The king governs without… corporal punishments.* Criminals are simply fined, lightly or heavily, according to the circumstances of each case…Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic…In buying and selling commodities they use cowries [shells]… All who are diseased, go to… houses [of medicine], and are provided with every kind of help, and doctors examine their diseases. They get the food and medicines which their cases require, and are made to feel at ease.” Corporal Punishment: the infliction of physical injury on convicted criminals 1. What did people use as money during the Gupta Empire? ___________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Was the concept of Ahimsa important in Gupta India? Support your answer with evidence. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What conclusions can you draw from the primary source about medical knowledge in Gupta India? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 4. It was during the Gupta Empire that the number zero was invented. Look at the chart to the left. How did Europeans come to learn about the Hindu (Indian) numerals? ____________________ ____________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What word would be used to describe the process through which Europeans acquired the Hindu-­‐
Arabic numeral system? _____________________________________________________________ 6. Examine the map of the Maurya and Gupta Empires. Which empire conquered more territory? ________________________________________
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________________________________________ 7. How did geography limit the expansion of both empires? ________________________________________
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