Pala Empire

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pala-empire

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the founding event?Election of Gopala by regional chiefs in the late 8th century CE
2. What is the imperial zenith period?Early 9th century CE under Dharmapala and Devapala
3. What was the Pala Empire and where did it rule?The Pala Empire was a powerful kingdom in India that ruled mainly in Bengal and parts of Bihar for many centuries.
4. Who started the Pala Empire and why?Gopala was chosen by local chiefs to become king, helping bring order after a time of many fights and chaos.

Matsya Nyaya: A Sanskrit term describing a state of anarchy where the strong dominate the weak.
Mahayana Buddhism: A major branch of Buddhism that emphasizes the path to enlightenment for all sentient beings.
Proto-Bengali: An early form of the Bengali language, with literary works like the Charyapada emerging during the Pala period.