Lesson 13: The Achievements of the Gupta Empire

• Gupta Empire


  the empire covering much of northern India that was ruled by the Guptas from around 320 C.E. to around 550 C.E.
• Alliance


  a bond between families, states, or other groups to further their common interests
• Province


  a territory that is part of a country or an empire
• Golden age


  a period of great happiness, prosperity, and achievement
• Chandragupta I


  • the first ruler of the Gupta Empire
  • conquered and united the Northern kingdoms
  • formed alliances through arranged marriages
• The Gupta Empire was similar to the Mauryan Empire.


  • central government
  • council that influenced the king's decisions
• Local areas were given independence.


  • the empire was divided into large sections of provinces
  • rule by a royal governor
  • town leaders could make many decisions
• Rule under the Guptas led to a...

  golden age
• Buddhist and Hindu schools were open primarily to males but...


  daughters of teachers were allowed to attend
• Students of medicine:


  • learned the practices and treatments of the time
  • question patients about their physical problems
  • cures from bark, roots, leaves, and minerals
  • giant ant's front claws to stitch up wounds
  • (Hindu doctors were skilled at surgery)
• The university in Nalanda taught both Buddhism and Hinduism.


  True
• Gupta plays:


  • comedies and dramas
  • political and historical subjects
• Sanskrit literature:


  • writings about Hindu law and religion
  • The Puranas(ancient lore); Hindu legends
  • The Mahabharata(great work); poem composed over 100 years
  • Bhagavad Gita(song of the lord); most beloved works on Hinduism, part of the Mahabharata
• Aladdin and his magic lamp was inspired by Gupta folktale.

  True
• Gupta literature spread beyond India, influencing…

  countries as far away as Greece and Persia
• Painting was an important form of art and part of life for nobles.
• Paintings:


  deities, religion, luxury of noble life
• Ajanta cave murals:


  • Buddha’s life and values
  • people of royalty
  • musicians and dancers
  • woodland scenes
  • **all painted with vibrant colors from minerals
• Gupta sculptures were carved from


  stone, wood, bronze, terra-cotta clay
• Sculptures were carved to appear


  simple and graceful
• Gupta sculptures depicted


  Buddha & Hindu deities, the lives of important people
• Sculptures were either made to stand on a foundation or


  carved into a wall
• Historians are confused how Gupta ironworkers were able to build such an impressive iron pillar.


  True
• Gold and copper coins were engraved with


  pictures honoring Gupta rulers
• Meharauli


  a sturdy iron pillar crafted by Gupta artisans engraved with stories that describes the achievements of the Gupta Empire
• Gupta mathematicians:


  • decimal system
  • treated 0 as a number
• Aryabhata


  *combined math&astronomy

  • exact length of the year
  • size of earth
  • shape of planets
  • axis
• Great Mahabodhi(Awakening) Temple


  built using mathematics
• Along roads:


  • indications of distance
  • rest houses
  • wells
  • ditches & canals
• Roads benefited Gupta trade.


  • travelers could easily move from city to city
  • traders could reach important waterways
  • roads connected India to China and the lands east of the Mediterranean Sea
• Why is the period during the Gupta Empire known as a "golden age"?


  because of advancements in art, literature, religion, medicine, and science