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 Historically,
India’s geographic boundaries were
bigger than they are today
Bangladesh + India + Pakistan = India
 Bangladesh
and Pakistan did not exist as separate
countries until after India gained independence
from Great Britain in 1947
 “Northwest
 Ancient
India” generally means Pakistan
Indian cities, such as Harappa and Mohenjodaro, are located in what is now Pakistan

As large as Europe,

Population: 1.15 billion (2010 estimate)


Second only to China
Himalayan Mountains (northeast)


minus Russia
Separate India from Tibet and western China
Northwest

Historic route of land invasions

Alexander the Great, Mughals

Indian Ocean (route of British conquest)

Climate
Hot (except in highlands)
 Land – very fertile to semi-desert

A. Invaders came from Europe

Traced through Indo-European language roots
B. Ruled India for hundreds of years
C. Set up small kingdoms ruled by rajahs
D. Conquered native Dravidians
E. Created modern Hinduism from Dravidian
religious traditions and their own ideas
F. Established India’s caste system
A.
B.
C.
D.
Macedonian (Greek) who led conquering forces across
northern India
Ruled briefly
Greeks expelled from most of India after Alexander’s death
Continued contact with Alexandrian successor state, the
Seleucid empire, to the west
A.
B.
Dynasty begun by Chandragupta
Mauryan
Asoka (grandson), 273-232 BCE
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ruled all of India
Converted to Buddhism and Spread
Buddhism
Religious tolerance, generosity, wisdom,
and kindness
War and disunity after his death!
Stupas
–
Shrines containing the
remains of
Buddha.
A.
B.
Northern India reunited
Trade
With West
Buddhism and Hinduism spread out
1.
2.

Cultural diffusion
Guptan Empire Art -
Murals on cave walls
showing the lives of
everyday people and
Buddha.
Guptan Literature – Poems and dramas that are still performed today.
“Shakuntala” is a love story which was written over 2000 years ago and is
still performed today.
The King believed that she was very beautiful and married her. He
returned to court leaving Shakuntala in her village. She would write
love letters to the king, however, he had forgotten about her.
Modern day performance
One day a fisherman found the ring which the King had given to
Shakuntala that restored his memory. He went to her village and
recognized their son Bharata. The King then begged for forgiveness
and they all lived happily every after.
Math –
*Development of the concept of zero
*decimal system
*numbers symbols for 1 – 9.
*The knowledge was applied to correctly determine
the size and shape of the earth. Through
diffusion, the number system spread to the rest of
the world.
A. 12th century – Muslim invasion
B. 1500 – Central Asians, led by Mughals, established
a kingdom in northern India
C. Akbar (1556-1605)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Conquest of central India
Efficient and strong government
Religious tolerance
Business and commerce encouraged
D. In northern India, many Hindus converted to gain the Islamic
majority.
*Non believers had to pay a tax
*Hindus were not eligible for governmental jobs
*Did not have to follow the caste system
E. Mughal Empire founded in the North
F. At the height of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan built one the
wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. It took 20,000 artists 22
years to complete the monument.
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal contains a tomb, mosque, gardens, gateways
and fountains. The main features in creation of this splendid
composition is the Mughal craftsmanship that includes
excerpt from the Koran and geometrical designs. The marble
and precious stone inlays are fit together with such
proficiency as to make it impossible for one to detect a joint.
Myth of the Black Taj Mahal
Black Taj Mahal myth is concerned with another monument
that was supposed to be built opposite the magnificent Taj, on
the other side of the river. It is believed that another
mausoleum, exactly identical to the original one, was to be
built, dedicated to Shah Jahan himself. This monument is now
called as the Black Taj, since it was to be constructed out of
black marble.
G. Most of the people living in southern India remained
Hindu. As a result, there were several wars over religion.
The leader of the Mughal Empire was able to combine
Islam and Hinduism to provide religious stability for 300
years. How did the rulers establish cooperation?
-Akbar, the Muslim leader, married a Hindu princess
-Abolished the non believers tax
-Appointed Hindus to governmental positions
Akbar’s Imperial Court
Sikandara, tomb of Akbar (1605 AD)
H. Mughal power declines in the 1700s.
Do you
remember
-Religious toleration ended when the Hindu princes
Rudyard
started to revolt against the Muslim leaders.
Kipling? Who
-During the civil war, the Europeans arrived.
was he & what
-Instead of uniting to fight a common enemy, individual was one of his
popular poems
princes fought the Europeans and each other.
that became a
-Eventually, India became a British colony.
theme for a
social
movement of
the late 1800’s?
A.
17th century – empire crumbled
Fighting between smaller
kingdoms
English, French, and Portuguese
traders gained influence
1.
2.
B.
1763 – Seven Years’ War
English (British East India
Company) won control of India
from the French
Taken over by the British
government under Queen Victoria
(British Raj, 1858-1947)
1.
2.

Will not be independent until after
World War II (1947) !!!