The Empire United

When we read about Egypt, we learned that Egypt was divided into two parts—Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. The Lower and Upper Egyptians fought each other until King Narmer made them all into one country.

When we read about the Akkadian Empire, we learned that Sumer was full of lots of independent cities. Each one had its own army, its own king, and its own way of doing things. But Sargon, the first great Akkadian king, united all the cities into one empire with one king and one set of laws. Sargon and King Narmer did the same thing! They made people who were quarrelling and fighting with each other be friends and allies.

We also read about two cities that refused to be allies. Two great Greek cities, Athens and Sparta, fought with each other for years and years, until both cities were weak and tired. After Athens and Sparta were finished fighting each other, the Macedonians came down and conquered both cities! Athens and Sparta were too worn out to resist.

All of these countries were weak when they were divided, and strong when they were united. India was no different. When the Aryans first settled in India, they built lots of different cities. The cities belonged to many different small kingdoms. Each kingdom was independent, and the kings of these little kingdoms spent many years fighting each other.

But one family of Indian kings wanted India to be a strong, unified country. They united the different Indian cities together into one empire—the Mauryan Empire. This empire covered the whole northern part of India.

The most famous Mauryan emperor was named Asoka. He became king around 268 BC/BCE. Asoka conquered cities through India in a war that killed thousands of people. But when Asoka visited the defeated cities after his great victories, he saw the suffering that his soldiers had caused.

“I will no longer fight with an army,” he announced. “Instead, I will draw people into my empire through honesty, truthfulness, and mercy. I will follow the teachings of the Buddha and give up violence from now on!”

Asoka carved these ideas on stone monuments and pillars and set them up all around his empire. We can still read them today. He tried to reason with his subjects, rather than giving out strict, harsh commands. He tried to act kindly and mercifully to all his people. He had trees planted along the roads, so that travelers could walk in the shade. He built hospitals for sick people and for sick animals as well. He even made laws to keep people from being cruel to animals, and he became a vegetarian (someone who doesn’t eat meat) so that no animals would be killed for his food. Asoka became famous for his ideas and for his just, merciful rule.