Early Civilizations Unit Test

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Question
Asoka began to spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire because he(1 point)
Responses

wanted to conquer more territories with his armies.
wanted to conquer more territories with his armies.

regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga.
regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga.

was celebrating the start of his rule.
was celebrating the start of his rule.

had no concern for the common people.

Asoka began to spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire because he regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga.

The correct answer is: Asoka began to spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire because he regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga.

To find the answer to this question, we need to understand the historical context of Asoka and the Mauryan Empire. Asoka was a ruler of the Mauryan Empire in ancient India, from 268 BCE to 232 BCE. He is known for his conversion to Buddhism and his efforts to spread the teachings of the Buddha throughout his empire.

One way to find the answer is to eliminate the incorrect options. The option "wanted to conquer more territories with his armies" is not accurate because Asoka's motivation for spreading Buddhism was not driven by military conquest.

The option "was celebrating the start of his rule" is also incorrect because Asoka did not begin spreading Buddhism immediately after coming to power.

The option "had no concern for the common people" is not true because Asoka's conversion to Buddhism was rooted in his concern for the well-being of the people and his desire to alleviate suffering.

This leaves us with the option "regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga." This is the correct answer because Asoka's conversion to Buddhism stemmed from his remorse for the large-scale violence and loss of life that occurred during the conquest of the Kalinga territory. This event is considered a turning point in Asoka's life, leading him to renounce violence and embrace the teachings of Buddhism as a path to peace and compassion.

So, the correct answer is: Asoka began to spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Empire because he regretted the suffering caused by the massacre of Kalinga.