Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources Reading Comprehension Worksheets Ancient India

The Mauryan Dynasty Ancient India

---

The Mauryan Dynasty
Print The Mauryan Dynasty Reading Comprehension


Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 7 to 9
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	9.75

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		Arthasastra, co-exist, aftermath, subcontinent, determined, VYSH-yuh, infrastructure, castaway, humiliation, conquest, instability, coup, mentor, nonviolence, competent, dynasty
	content words:		Philip II, Middle East, Central Asia, Persian Empire, South Asia, Indus River, Ganges Valley, Chandragupta Maurya, Pusyamitra Sunga

---

The Mauryan Dynasty By Vickie Chao

---

¹     July 20th of 356 B.C. was a very important date in human history, for two major events were said to have taken place on that particular day. The first was the burning of the famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, near the present-day city of Izmir in Turkey. The second was the birth of Alexander the Great.
 
²     Alexander the Great was the son of the Macedonian king Philip II and the Epirus princess Olympias. He ascended the throne at the age of twenty after his father was assassinated. During his short reign of twelve years, he set out to conquer the world and almost succeeded. His army swept across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. He captured Egypt in 332 B.C. and defeated the Persian Empire in 330 B.C. Overwhelmed by the victories, Alexander the Great decided to press ahead. This time, he aimed for the Indian subcontinent in South Asia. In 326 B.C. he and his troops crossed the Indus River and disarmed the two kingdoms in the Punjab region (located in present-day India and Pakistan). Just as he was ready to advance to the kingdom of Magadha in the Ganges Valley, his soldiers rebelled and refused to go any farther. Under immense pressure, Alexander the Great discarded his grand plan and, thus, spared the rest of India and other countries in Asia. Three years after his reluctant withdrawal, he died in Babylon.
 
³     The sudden death of Alexander the Great dismantled the massive empire almost overnight. With no apparent heirs competent enough to continue the legacy, a power struggle quickly broke out. The instability helped give rise to a man named Chandragupta Maurya (pronounced "chun-druh-GOOP-tuh MOW-ur-yuh") who later assembled a strong army and became the first person to unite India.

Paragraphs 4 to 9:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

---

Weekly Reading Books

Create Weekly Reading Books Prepare for an entire week at once!

---

Feedback on The Mauryan Dynasty

Leave your feedback on The Mauryan Dynasty   (use this link if you found an error in the story)

---

Ancient India

Ancient India

---

More Lessons

High School Reading Comprehensions and High School Reading Lessons

---

Social Studies

Social Studies

United States History and Theme Units         American Government         Ancient America         Ancient China         Ancient Egypt         Ancient Greece         Ancient India         Ancient Mesopotamia         Ancient Rome         Biographies         Canadian Theme Unit         Country Theme Units         Crime and Terrorism         Economics         European History: 1600s-1800s

Explorers         Famous Educators         Geography         Grades 2-3 Social Studies Wendy's World Series         History of Books and Writing         History of Mathematics         How Can I Help?         Inventors and Inventions         Middle Ages         Renaissance         World Religion         World War I         World War II         World Wonders

Copyright © 2025 edHelper