Gupta Empire
The Golden Age was marked by extensive inventions and discoveries in science, technology, engineering, art, dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy that crystallized the elements of what is generally known as Hindu culture
Gupta Empire "The Golden Age"
Social:
- Most people in the Gupta empire lived in small villages and walked a few miles to a family owned and run farm
- Crafts people and merchants clustered into specific districts
- The Gupta empire expanded through 40 years of conquest under Gupta's rule
- Families were either (in north)Patriarchal- headed by eldest male, or, (in south)Matriarchal- headed by mother
- Strong use of caste system
- Chandra Gupta was a strong leader in the state of Magadha
- Chandra Gupta came into power by marrying a daughter of an influential royal family
- Chandra Gupta led many years of conquest and prosperity
- Farmers owed a large part of their earnings to their king and royal family
- The Gupta empire oversaw the growth and prosperity of Hinduism
- During the Gupta Empire, large religious thought growth occurred
- Draught was common in the Gupta empire, so the irrigation was essential
- The Ganges and Indus rivers provided water and fertile soil
- Himalayas helped protect these civilizations from foreign invaders
- Gupta scientists and mathematicians made important discoveries and advances
- Education took place in Hindu and Buddhist schools;Students learned math, medicine, physics, and languages
- Developed the concept of zero as well as the decimal system
- Gupta physicians began to use herbs and other remedies to treat illnesses
- Surgeons were able to set bones and repair facial injuries with plastic surgery
- Gupta physicians vaccinated people
- against smallpox approximately 1,000 years before this practice began in Europe
- People lived in tow story building; top was house and bottom was shops
- Irrigation for crops
- Taxes on water
- Every month people gave a day of labor to maintain wells, irrigation, ditches, reservoirs, and dams
- Very profitable trade through Mediterranean sea
- Guilds were used all the time
- Guilds were free from government control and received grants from the government to help with business