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Jolaade Adepoju

Due: November 2, 2012

Period 3B

Chapter 9: State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India

1. The Maurya Empire was established through the Persian conquest by the invasion of India led by Darius around 520 B.C.E. The Achaemenid Empire conquered sections of northwestern India. After the conquering of northwestern India, Alexander of Macedon took over in 327 B.C.E. He then later on withdrew his forces. Since there was no one in control, the Maurya Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya.

2. Emperor Ashoka’s first accomplishment was conquering the Kingdom of Kalinga which 100,000 Kalingans died, 150,000 were driven from their homes, and many perished in the ruined land. His second accomplishment was being a better governor than a conqueror. Ashoka ruled through an organized bureaucracy and an organized administrative structure. He being a better governor than conqueror allowed an expanding economy and a stable government. Thirdly, he established his capital at the fortified city of Pataliputra where centralized administration developed policies for the whole empire. Fourthly, Ashoka inscribed his policies on rock and pillar edicts. He issued imperial decrees, encouraged his subjects to observe Buddhists values and expressed his intention to serve as a fair humane ruler. Lastly, Ashoka encouraged the expansion of agriculture (which helped the empire become to wealthy), built irrigation systems, and expanded trade by constructing roads and highways.

3. The Mauryans based their government on the handbook, Arthashastra. The book helped the Mauryans establish a bureaucratic administrative system. It helped them to establish the use of policies throughout the state. The Guptas did hold the government and administrative systems by themselves. They left the making of basic policy in the hands of allies in various regions of their empire. Gupta had no capital at all. The Mauryan kingdom was more arranged.

4. India...