The History

of India

Foundations

Located in south Asia Also called the “subcontinent” Neolithic communities developed

after 7000BCE Some then developed into societies Earliest society was Dravidian, aka

Harappan

Harappan Society Flourished along Indus River -

3000’sBCE Cultivate wheat, barley and cotton No evidence about government Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were

two main cities: Citadel, granary, temples, public

buildings Standardized weights, measures, bricks

Definite social classes Religious beliefs emphasized fertility Society began to decline beginning in

1900BCE: Ecological problems Possible natural disaster

Began abandoning cities Some cultural traditions remained

Aryans

As Harappan society declined, Indo-European group began migrating in c. 1900BCE

Their cultural traditions were very different from Dravidians

No writing system Had oral works called the Vedas

Sacred language – Sanskrit Daily (secular) language – Prakrit Called Dravidians “dasas” –

enemies Indra was their war god

Made up of chiefdoms Most chiefdoms had a “raja” (king) Vedic Age – 1500-500BCE

Chaotic time period Conflicts with Dravidians and other

indigenous people The Aryan and Dravidian cultures

merged together

A Distinctive Society

Aryan/Dravidian: Regional states with rajas most common Caste system – stablized society and

foundation for religion Religious beliefs – samsara, karma, and

universal soul (Brahman) Rich literary religious tradition based on

oral transmissions of Vedas & Upanishads

Caste System Caste – hereditary,

unchangeable social classes Varna (color) refers to the social

classes Developed in late Vedic Age:

Brahmins (priests) Kshatriyas (warriors, aristocrats) Vaishyas (farmers, artisans,

merchants) Shudras (landless peasants, serfs)

Later added dalit (untouchables) Considered below the caste system More elaborate class system

developed after 6th century BCE Jati (subcastes) – determined by

occupation Must follow the rules of your jati

(eating, communication, behavior)

Could move up the system (difficult but possible)

Usually because of group effort

Foreign people could find a jati

Patriarchal Society Patriarchal and patrilineal society Lawbook of Manu

Moral behavior and social relationships Men had to treat women with honor

and respect Women under control and guidance of

men Women’s duties: kids and home

Sati – sacrifice self for husband

Religion

Aryan gods of sun, sky, moon, war, heath, disease Ritual sacrifices were more important than ethics Sacrifice to get rewards from the divine power Changed c. 800BCE Dravidian ideas of transmigration and

reincarnation were adapted

Upanishads – works of religious teachings (800-400BCE) Dialogues between disciples and sages

Brahman – universal soul Samsara – soul born many times Karma – what you do……. Moksha – union with Brahman –

escape from reincarnation (ultimate goal

All of this becomes

Hinduism!!

Next comes Classical India520BCE-550CE

Mauryan Dynasty

Alexander briefly occupied northern India

When he withdrew, it created power vacuum

Drew the Mauryan’s in

Used manual – Arthashastra – outlined administrative methods

Chandragupta Maurya began conquest in 320’sBCE United India for first time Well organized bureaucracy

Ashoka – greatest Mauryan emperor 268-232BCE Peak of empire Capital Pataliputra Policies written on rocks or pillars

Empire declined after his death – financial problems

In-between

After Maurya declined, India was mostly small regional states

Silk Road trading network developed during this time

Gupta Empire

Founded by Chandra Gupta 375-415CE Smaller and more decentralized than Maurya Invasion of White Huns weakened empire After 5th century – continued in name only

Mauryan & Gupta Life

Towns provided manufactured goods

Active marketplaces Trade with Persia,

China, Indonesia, SE and Med Sea area

Patriarchal families Female subordination Child marriage All a way to control women

With trade and commerce, new social groups developed

Artisans, craftsmen, merchants

These ware jati Old beliefs/values of early

Aryan society became increasingly irrelevant

Vardhamana Mahavira (Jina) founded a new religion in 5th c. BCE – Jainism Inspired by Upanishads Everything in universe has soul Get rid of selfish behavior to obtain

happiness Ahimsa – nonviolence toward all living

things

Lifestyle was too demanding Not a practical alternative to cults of

the brahmans Jains didn't recognize castes and jati

Much better alternative was Buddhism Developed c. 528BCE – first sermon Four Noble Truths – Eightfold Path Appealed to lower caste because it

didn’t believe in caste system

Easier to practice than Jainism

Used vernacular languages Holy sites developed –

pilgrims Developed monasteries –

monks good at spreading and converting

Ashoka converted – helped spread it

Popular Hinduism: Mahabharata – secular poem to

honor Vishnu Ramayana – secular story of love

between Rama and Sita Bhagavad Gita – showed

expectations of Hinduism & promise of salvation

People achieved salvation by meeting responsibilities of caste

Must lead honorable lives Hinduism would gradually replace

Buddhism Buddhism was spreading along Silk

Roads by early centuries CE

Merchants carried it through Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia by 1st century CE

Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia

Collapse of Centralized Rule

After Gupta, centralized rule dissolved

Small regional kingdoms

Harsha restored rule temporarily

But India then broke into different states

Islam in India Northern India area

conquered by Muslims Muslim merchants

began forming small communities in coastal cities

Migrant Turks began converting to Islam – moved into Afghanistan

Sultanate of Delhi

Mahmud of Ghazni, Afghan Turk, began forays into India

His successors conquered the north in 1206 Established Islamic state known as

Sultanate of Delhi Lasted until 1526

Southern India Remained politically

fragmented Relatively peaceful Chola Kingdom (850-

1267) ruled along coast Their navy dominated the

sea Gave lots of local

autonomy to villages

Vijayanagar (1336-1565) kingdom Established by two

Indian brothers sent south to make it Islamic

They reverted back to Hinduism

Kingdom remained small

Trade in Indian Ocean

Monsoon winds controlled trade

Monsoon rains only rained in spring and summer

Irrigation systems needed for dry months

Agriculture surged Population doubled by 1500 Urbanization increased Self-sufficient in food Metals and spices found only in certain

areas

Hindu temples were economic and social centers

Temples had lots of land, many employees

Their administrators kept order and delivered taxes

Served as banks, engaged in business

Dhows and junks traveled in Indian Ocean

Emporia in port cities were centers of trade

Trade goods: Silk, porcelain – China Spices – SE Asia Pepper, gems, pearls, cotton – India Incense, horses – SW Asia Gold, ivory, slaves – East Africa

India created the highest quality cotton textiles

Other industries included: sugar, leather, stone, carpets, iron and steel

Let’s jump to southeast Asia

really quick

States of Southeast Asia

Indian merchants took Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam to SE Asia

Rulers adopted some Indian political traditions

Gov’t sponsored Hinduism and Buddhism Didn’t adopt caste system

Funan: 1st to 6th century CE Lower Mekong River in

Cambodia/Vietnam Very wealthy because they controlled

trade Adopted Sanskrit

Srivijaya: 670-1025CE Established on Sumatra after fall of

Funan Controlled sea trade between China

and India Chola took their place in control of

trade

Angkor 889-1431CE Built by Khmers at Angkor Thom

(later Angkor Wat) Built as Hindu Turned Buddhist in 12-13th cent. Thais invaded in 1431 Khmers abandoned it

Melaka: Islam brought to SE Asia Conversion was slow Ruling elites converted Rural people retained traditions Islam not exclusive faith

Back to

India

Mughals

Babur (Turk) invaded from central Asia in 1523

Seized Delhi in 1526 Took most of India

before his death in 1530

Islam firmly established

Akbar was greatest ruler Smart, tolerant Encouraged religious tolerance Developed syncretic religion called

“divine faith” Emphasized loyalty to ruler

Jesuits visited, but Akbar not interested

Tolerated Sikhism – new faith combining Hinduism and Islam

Aurangzeb Expanded empire to

include almost the entire Indian subcontinent

Revoked policies of toleration

Hindus taxed and their temples destroyed

Religious tension and revolts broke out

Mughal Decline

Economy began to stagnate Didn’t expand territory Long, expensive wars Taxes and corruption Outdated weapons – European

superior

British Take Over

English East India Company had been working in India for years Took advantage of Mughal decline Began conquest in 1750’s Built trading cities and forts at

Calcutta, and Bombay

Ruled with small British force and Indian troops called sepoys

Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 led to harsh crackdown

British imperial rule replaced the EIC in 1858

British viceroy and high level British civil service ruled

All foreign and domestic policy made by British

Indians had low level bureaucratic jobs British intro’d production of tea, coffee and

opium Built RR and telegraph lines, etc Didn’t interfere with culture or Hindu religion

Established British style schools for Indian elites

Outlawed sati Cheap cotton cloth hurt local cottage industries

Educated Indians began to develop strong nationalist feelings

1885 – they founded the Indian National Congress

To promote a greater role for Indians in their country’s government.

The World Wars

As a colony of Great Britain, Indians participated in all aspects of the war

After WWI, Indians wanted greater freedoms from British control

Gandhi began his Civil Disobedience Movement, Non-cooperation Movement and Salt March

1935 – GB passed the Government of India Act Increased suffrage Turned provincial gov’ts over to Indian leaders

Independence

Muslim League formed - 1906 Began insisting on their own state of

“Pakistan” Supported by Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Gandhi and GB wanted India to stay whole

GB finally decided that in order to save lives, India should be split

India & Pakistan given independence in 1947 Millions had to move or were forced to flee Hindus to India and Muslims to Pakistan

Pakistan divided into eastern and western regions separated by 1,000 miles of India Civil war resulted in split Pakistan and Bangladesh - 1972

Today

India was nonaligned during the Cold War

Pakistan and India are still in conflict with each other Especially over region

called Kashmir Both countries have also

become nuclear powers