History of India

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History of India
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• 2600 BCE Indus River Valley
• Large cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
• Unified and highly centralized
• Vedic Age
• 1900 BCE Aryans
• Hinduism emerges after 900 BCE 200 BCE
• Vedas Aryan scriptures meaning knowledge
• Caste System
• Men superior to women (ex sati ritual)
• Buddhism Jainism emerges 500 BCE

3

• 324 BCE - Mauryans
• Hindus
• Centralized, strong military trade cotton
• Ashoka switched to Buddhism due to violence in
  country
• 184 BCE - Disunity
• 320 CE - Guptas
• Hindus but religiously tolerant
• Decentralized Culture economy
• Decimal system, pi, zero

4

• 550 CE 1200 CE Disunity because of Huns
• 1206 CE - Delhi Sultanate
• Muslim invaders Muslim women had more rights
  than Hindu women
• Tensions between Hindus and Muslims because
  sultan imposed faith harshly
• Regions broke away Muslim and Hindu areas

5

• Indian Ocean Trade Network
• East Africa, Arabia, Persian Gulf, India, Malay
  peninsula, Indonesia, China, Japan
• West Arab traders goods from Africa and M.East
• Ivory, gold, slaves, textiles, horses
• Middle India/kingdoms
• Gems, elephants, salt, cotton, spices
• East China Japan
• Silk, porcelain, paper, silver
• Used knowledge of monsoons

6

• Mongols
• Timur the Terrible captured Delhi ruined city
  weak Dehli Sultanate
• 1526 - Mughals
• Muslim
• Babur - centralized rule cotton trade
• Women some rights but restricted through
  Islamic law
• Gunpowder empire
• Akbar the Great religiously tolerant
• Culture Taj Mahal

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• Arrival of Europeans -1498 Mughals could fight
  off
• 1661 British East India Company

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• 1750s British Colony with Mughals as puppet
  rulers
• Discouraged sati
• 1857 Sepoy Rebellion
• Gandhi
• Indian National Congress
• 1947 India declares independence
• Pakistan breaks away - Muslims