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

Most chiefdoms had a “raja” (king) Vedic Age – 1500-500BCE 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 India 520BCE-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 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