India+History

__The Aryans__ For many thousands of years, mankind has lived along the Indus River Valley. Living a simple life of hunting, gathering, farming and agriculture, these people were able to thrive, raise families, and practice their religious beliefs. The Aryans were a fair skinned people that originated somewhere near the Caspian and Black Sea around 1500 B.C. The Aryan people used greater technologies than many of the people around them. For many hundreds of years the Aryans spread from the region near these two seas towards the Indus River Valley.
 * History || Geography || Culture || Economics || Politics || Class Activities || Resources ||

After conquering the peoples of the Indus River Valley, the Aryans continued to push their territory outward. They moved towards the southeast, and conquered the people of the Ganges Plain. The Aryan culture eventually spread throughout much of South Asia. Many aspects of Aryan culture still exist today in these regions today. __Language__  For many hundreds of years the Aryans did not have a written language. Instead, they passed their history down from one generation to another through stories, poems, and epics. The people memorized these oral stories, and handed them down to future generations. Around 1200 B.C. the Aryans developed a written language. The oral traditions that had been handed down were recorded in sacred books called Vedas, or “Books of Knowledge”.

**These Vedas give historians an accurate window into the lives and culture of the Aryan peoples. Without them, we would know very little about the Aryans.** __Social Class__  From the Vedas, we learn a great deal about the Aryan's social caste system. A social caste is a rank, or level within a society that tells other members of the society how important each individual is. The highest were the priests, called **Brahmans**. The Brahmans were the only people that were allowed to both read and teach from the Vedas. The next most important rank were the **Kshatriyas**. The Kshatriyas were made up of the warriors, and rulers of villages. These people were allowed to study the Vedas,they were not allowed to teach them to other people. After the Kshatriyas, the **Vaisyas** were the third highest rank. The Vaisyas were made up of artists, merchants, and farmers. These people could not study, nor teach from the Vedas.The lowest ranked people were the **Sudras**. The Sudras were the servants of the other three ranks above them, and were responsible for doing the jobs that no one else wanted. __ Religion __ Over time the Aryan religion slowly evolved, becoming more complex, and rich with tradition and ceremony. The religion grew to become Hinduism, which is one of the main religions still practiced in the region today. The 500 B.C.’s were a period of religious change in the Indus River Valley, and surrounding regions. Many religious leaders began to question the long standing Hindu values and teachings. New teachers began to travel, teaching new ideas, and forming new religions. The most influential of these teachers was a prince by the name of Siddhartha Gautama.

 Siddhartha Gautama's position of power in India allowed him to live a life of great comfort. This sheltered life kept him from seeing the state of poverty and sickness that many of the people lived in. When Gautama was 29 years old, he began to tour his kingdom. Gautama was shocked at how much his people suffered. Distressed, Gautama left in search of truth and enlightenment. For the next seven years he wandered and pondered humanity and life. During these wanderings, Gautama developed a series of truths, which he began teaching to his family friends, and eventually to many others. His followers began to call him the Buddha, or “Enlightened One”.



No matter how many Persians, Greeks, Chinese nomads, Arabs, Portuguese, British and other raiders had their way with the land, local Hindu kingdoms always survived their attacks, living out their own heroic achievements of conquest and collapse. All the while, these local dynasties built upon the roots of a culture well established since the time of the first invaders, the Aryans. In short, India has always been simply too big, too complicated, and too culturally delicate to let any one empire control it for long. The timeline below gives you more information about the many empires that took over India. (All pictures and information on this page were retrieved from: www.kidspast.com)

__ Timeline __ || ** 1400 BC ** || The Vedas, the Hindu scripture, was written || || ** 800 BC ** || 800-600 BC The sacred scripture, the Upanishads written || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 518 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Persians conquered Pakistan || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 500 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Buddhism was founded in India by Siddhartha Gautama || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 500 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Jainism was founded in India by Mahavira Jains || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 326 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Alexander the Great moved into India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 324 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Mauryan Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya including Afghanistan and parts of central Asia || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 272 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, becomes the emperor of India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 185 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Maurya Empire ended || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 50 AD ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Kushans established an empire in northern India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 320 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Gupta Indian dynasty reunited northern India initiating the "golden Age" of India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 700s ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Muslim armies from Arabia invade India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1206 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Qutb ub-din Aybak establishes the Delhi Sultanate || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1398 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Timur conquered India resulting in the decline of the Delhi Sultanate || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1498 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[|Vasco da Gama] becomes the first European explorer to reach India || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1500's ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Christianity was introduced to India by the Europeans and in the early 1500s Sikhism was founded by Nana || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1526 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Babur established the Mughal Empire || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1600 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to the East India Company established trading posts in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1628 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire, builds the Taj Mahal || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1658 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Strict Muslim, Aurangzeb, ruled India and tried to force Hindus to convert to Islam || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1757 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Battle of Plassey: Robert Clive, an agent of the East India Company, leads forces which defeated the Mughal governor of Bengal || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1774 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Warren Hastings appointed the first governor general of India by the East India Company || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1857 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Sepoy Rebellion || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1858 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The British government ruled India via an Indian Viceroy- called the British Raj || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1876 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Queen Victoria was given the title Empress of India by the British Parliament || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1885 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Burma became an Indian province <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Indian National Congress was formed || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1905 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The British government divided Bengal into separate Hindu and Muslim sections || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1914 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">1914 - 1918 [|World War 1] || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1919 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">13 April: The Amritsar Massacre || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1920 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mohandas Gandhi became the leader of the Indian independence movement and the Indian National Congress || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1935 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Government of India Act and the creation of a new constitution || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1939 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">3 September: The United Kingdom declared war on Germany and [|World War 2] began || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1940 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Muhammad Ali Jinnah demanded that a new country be formed from India for the Muslims, which would be called Pakistan || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1945 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">August: World War II ended when United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1946 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The British government agreed to grant India independence || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1946 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">16 August: Indian Muslims held nation-wide demonstrations calling for the establishment of Pakistan || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1947 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">British and Indian leaders agreed to divide the country into India and Pakistan <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">15 August 1947 India became independent || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1948 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">30 January: Gandhi was assassinated || || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1950 ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">26 January: A new Indian Constitution was ratified and Jawaharlal Nehru became the Indian first prime minister ||
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">2500 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Dravidian Civilization ||  ||
 * || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">** 1500 BC ** || <span style="color: #705a54; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Aryans invade India and conquered the Dravidians ||

Information on timeline retrieved from: [] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">© Rachelle Dawson 2012. Last revised: May 8, 2012. All Rights Reserved. For more information, please contact: Rachelle Dawson rdawson@gmail.com