History of India

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Perspective
The history of India begins with the advent of farming and pastoralism around 7,000 BCE. Its archaeological finds prove the domestication of wheat and barley and the raising animals for food. By 4,500 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization arose alongside ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and flourished for 600 years. In so doing, it became known for its city planning, mud-brick homes, and its well-designed drainage system and water supply.
Drought devastated the Indus Valley Civilization and its people, who were supplanted by Indo-Aryan tribes from Central Asia. Their Vedic period (1500-500 BCE) was named after the vedas, large collections of hymns. Their varna system, which became the caste system, was a hierarchy of priests, warriors, peasants, and what later became Untouchables. Vedic texts were no longer written once a new culture arose around 600 BCE, which included small states as well as larger states with cities. These included the development of the new ascetic movements of Jainism and Buddhism. They did so largely in opposition to the growing influence of Brahmanism and the old Vedic priesthood and its ritual. But the old Vedic Brahmanism survived and blended itself with other native religions to become Hinduism.
Most of India was conquered by the Maurya Empire during the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, and innovation flourished. Along with rise of Prakrit and Pali literature in the north rose Tamil Sangam literature of the south. In addition, Wootz steel was made in the south and exported abroad. Following this, the Gupta Empire brought forth the classical or “Golden Age of India”. This included a Hindu religious and intellectual renaissance, enlightened governance, and a vibrant culture. Both Hinduism and Buddhism spread to much of Asia with growing trade. Similarly, Indian influence grew throughout the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia, where Indianized kingdoms were established.
Beginning in the 7th century, the Tripartite War raged for several centuries among the Pala, Rashtrakuta, and Gurjara-Pratihara Empires. In this, Imperial states arose in southern India, and the Chola dynasty conquered southern India and parts of Southeast Asia in the 11th century. In addition, there was a cultural renaissance that added Indian mathematics (including Hindu numerals) to the Islamic development of mathematics and astronomy.
The history of India was changed profoundly with the Islamic conquest that brought the Delhi Sultanate to north India. In this period, the wealthy Bengal Sultanate emerged as a major power, lasting more than 300 years. Other powerful Hindu states emerged, such as the Vijayanagara and Rajput states. Sikhism arose in the 11th century.
Early modern India began with the Mughal Empire conquest of most of India. The Mughal period saw the beginnings of industrialization, and India became the biggest economy and manufacturing power in the world. But the Mughals suffered a gradual decline in the early 18th century, as territorial warring consumed large areas.
In the 17th century, India was gradually annexed by the East India Company, acting on behalf of the British government. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 raged in north and central India. This led to the demise of the East India Company and the assumption of direct rule by Britain, in what came to be know as the Raj. After World War I, an independence movement was launched by the Indian National Congress and led by Mahatma Gandhi. Its strategy was nonviolence. Later, the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate Muslim-majority nation state. As a result, the empire was partitioned in August 1947 into the Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan, each becoming independent.
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Index
Ancient India: Society • Environment • South India • Culture • Religion: Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama • Rise • Spread • Middle Way • Four Noble Truths • Three Precious Jewels | Hinduism: Hindu-Muslim Synthesis • Beliefs • Deities • Writings • Epics • Upanishads | Jainism: Mahavira | Sikhism | Economy: Decline | Indus Valley Civilization: Society • Economy | Early Vedic Age: Society • Religion | Later Vedic Age: Society • Religion | Chola Dynasty | Kushan Empire: Society | Maurya Empire: Power: Progression • Governance • Economy | Gupta Empire: Society • Culture • Classical Age • Literature • Science and Technology • Sculpture • Religion • Power • Economy | Delhi Sultanate: Society • Culture • Power | Mughal Empire: Society • Culture • Power • Ahmad Khan • Babur • Akbar • Aurangzeb • The British • Civil War | The Raj: Society • Power • Origins • Nationalism • Reformers • Gandhi • Struggle • New System • Hindu-Muslim Divide • Partition • Economy | Modern India: Society • Power • Jawaharlal Nehru • Indira Gandhi • Rajiv Gandhi • Governance • Economy | Bangla Desh | Pakistan: Power
Ancient India

Ancient India: Index

Society

Society: Environment

Society: South India

Culture

Religion

Religion: Buddhism

Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama

Buddhism: Rise

Buddhism: Spread

Buddhism: Middle Way

Buddhism: Four Noble Truths

Buddhism: Three Precious Jewels

Hinduism

Hinduism: Hindu-Muslim Synthesis

Hinduism: Beliefs

Hinduism: Deities

Hinduism: Writings

Writings: Epics

Writings: Upanishads

Jainism

Jainism: Mahavira

Sikhism

Economy

Economy: Decline
Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization

Society

Economy
Vedic Age

Early Vedic Age

Early Vedic Age: Society

Early Vedic Age: Religion

Later Vedic Age

Later Vedic Age: Society

Later Vedic Age: Religion
Chola Dynasty

Chola Dynasty
Kushan Empire

Kushan Empire

Society
Maurya Empire

Maurya Empire

Power

Power: Progression

Power: Governance

Economy
Gupta Empire

Gupta Empire

Society

Culture

Culture: Classical Age

Culture: Literature

Culture: Science and Technology

Culture: Sculpture

Religion

Power

Economy
Delhi Sultanate

Delhi Sultanate

Society

Culture

Power
Mughal Empire

Mughal Empire: Index

Society

Culture

Power

Power: Ahmad Khan

Power: Babur

Power: Akbar

Power: Aurangzeb

The British

Civil War
The Raj

The Raj: Index

Society

Power

Power: Origins

Power: Nationalism

Nationalism: Reformers

Reformers: Mohandas Gandhi

Nationalism: Struggle

Nationalism: New System

Nationalism: Hindu-Muslim Divide

Power: Partition

Economy
Modern India

Society

Power

Power: Jawaharlal Nehru

Power: Indira Gandhi

Power: Rajiv Gandhi

Power: Governance

Economy
Bangla Desh and Pakistan

Bangla Desh

Pakistan

Pakistan: Power
