Introduction+Paragraph+India

Classical India Introduction  Classical India focused on two main religions, Buddhism and Hinduism which dominated the political life. When Hinduism was the dominate religion, there was a social system based on the occupation you and your father did. This was called the Caste system, the higher you were on the system you were considered to be more pure. For example, peasants dominated the population and they were considered to be one of the lowest groups in the Caste system. Originally India was small local kingdoms, until Chandragupta Maurya brought all the local kingdoms into one big empire. Once Ashoka came to rule, he converted to Buddhism which soon spread throughout India. He became a stronger ruler and created more peace after converting. After Ashoka’s death there was a succession of weak rulers, and internal strife which lead to the fall of the Mauryan Empire. With Ashoka’s death Brahmans came back into their lost power, and there was a Hindu Renaissance, which took the successful aspects of Buddhism. 504 years passed without an Empire, where people lived in small local Kingdoms. A family of local landholders grew in power creating the Gupta Empire, which was a tribute empire. Under the Gupta Empire the caste system intensified, and it brought peace.