World History~Ancient India

What were 'Arabic numerals'? How did they facilitate calculations?

1-9; by using the numerals

When did sailors learn to ride the monsoons?

100 CE

When did the Gupta exist?

320-550 CE

What was the school at Nalanda?

A Buddhist school

How did this compare to the other classical era empires?

As a result of increasing urbanization, more complex economic government & social structures, women became irrelevant

Why is the Gupta empire considered to be a Golden Age?

Because of the flowering of Hindu culture

How were they re-discovered?

British troops accidentally discovered them

How did India benefit from Indian Ocean trade?

By being the middle man

What were the Ajanta Caves?

Caves in western India that had the most stunning examples of Gupta era paintings & sculptures

Who founded the Gupta Empire? What does the word 'Chandra' mean?

Chandra Gupta; Chandra means fierce

What was the purpose of most sculptures?

Created for Buddhist or Hindu temples & depicted gods & goddesses or the Buddha

Why is the Gupta Era considered a Golden Age?

Disciplines like literature, painting & sculpture flourished under the patronage of Gupta kings

In what medium were most sculptures done?

Done in stone, wood, bronze & clay

What were the astronomical contributions of Aryabhata?

Earth turned on its axis & revolved around the sun; Earth and other planets are round

Describe the typical Gupta family.

Father was the head of the family, the sons married & continued to live in the house

Where were many surviving paintings found?

Found in homes or on temple or cave walls

What types of scenes did Gupta painters depict? Types of colors?

Goda & goddesses; family portraits-used brilliant colors

How did Samundragupta established the empire?

He conquered nearly 20 smaller kingdoms & more than triple the size of the empire he inherited

How did Samundragupta promote the arts?

He had numerous poets, artists, scholars & musicians in his court to promote Indian culture though their respective arts

Why might he have been called the Napoleon of India?

He stretched the empire from the Ganges to the Indus River, taking nearly all of Northern India

What religion(s) did Samundragupta support?

He supported Hinduism

Why did he face some resistance upon assuming control of the empire?

He was chosen by his father, but he was not the oldest

What did the fine arts in the Gupta Era reflected?

Hindu or Buddhist beliefs

Why was Chandra Gupta's marriage an important stepping stone?

His marriage united 2 kingdoms & he proclaimed himself emperor

How did the caste system change during the Gupta Empire?

It became increasingly rigid

With what other empires did it associate with?

It co-existed with the Roman Empire & was sandwiched between the Han & Tang Dynasties of China

Why did women lose status?

It was a legal loss of rights

What happened to the status of women in the Gupta empire?

It was declined significantly

What types of products did they trade in exchange?

Ivory, precious stones & metal work

Describe the Mahabarata. What was its purpose?

Longest poems ever tells the story of 2 warring Indian families

What was aruyvedic medicine?

Medicine focused balancing mind, body & spirit

Who could attend such universities?

Men & daughters of instructors

What were the mathematical contributions of Aryabhata?

Pi, solar year

What kinda of literature was created during this era?

Plays, poetry, fables & important religious & legal texts

What was the relative size of Chandra Gupta's empire in comparison the eventual size of the Gupta Empire? In comparison to the Mauryan Empire?

Relatively small; very tiny

What kinda of things did they contain?

Sculptures, pillars adorning the entrances & paintings on the walls & ceilings

In what way were the Gupta doctors pioneers in the art of medicine?

Set broken bones, performed caesarian sections & used plastic surgery

What did overtly sexual sculptures mean to the common person?

Showed the delights of salvation

Why were girls engaged at the young age of 6, for example?

So men could mold their future wives & ensure they stayed virgins

What other mathematical innovations did the Gupta introduce?

The use of the decimal & the use of 0

What types of products did India get from China and Southeast Asia?

They got goods like silk & spices

During the Gupta Era, what specific rights did women lose?

They lost the right to participate in religious rituals

How did the Huns impact the decline of the Gupta Empire?

They made their way through the northwest passage in Hindu Kush mountains. The Gupta exhausted their treasure in defense

What were the silk roads? What did they connect?

They provided the primary over land route that stretched from the Chinese city of Chang'an to Constantinople & ultimately to Rome

Why were the Gupta empire doctors considered advanced in the area of medicine?

They were able to classify diseases & identify numerous healing plants

Why did the Gupta establish a common currency?

To facilitate trade within the empire, it drove their economy& prosperity

What was the importance of Chandra Gupta's Movement?

United the diverse cultures of India into a centralized political entity

What was the practice of sati?

Wives threw themselves on their husbands' funeral pyre