History of India

Ancient India
People have lived in India for over 10,000 years.
The Indus Valley Civilization was larger than any other ancient empire.
Ancient India’s trade was based on crops grown in fertile lands.

Vedic Period
The Hindu religion is born and the holy texts are written
The monarchy is introduced into each state
The caste system is established

Mauryan Period
The Maurya Empire unites the smaller regions of India into 1 state
Under Chandragupta, India flourished in wealth and happiness
Main religions at this point in time: Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism
People can follow any religion they wanted

Gupta Dynasty
This dynasty brought peace and prosperity to India
Without the fear of war, people were free to study science and art
Indian scholars made many discoveries during this time

Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire invades India (when? à in the 16th century)
The Mughals introduce Islam and Persian culture to India
The Taj Mahal is built
The East India Company is established

The British Rule
The British colonized India after the collapse of the Mughal Empire
English customs and language are introduced into India
Railroads are built across the country
Indian soldiers fought with the British in World War II

Independence to 1990
Mahatma Gandhi marches for India’s freedom
India received Independence in 1947
India elected its first female Prime Minister in 1980

Today
India is one of the largest contributors of peacekeepers to the UN
India hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010
In 2014 India launched its first satellite to Mars.