South AsiaGlobal Studies
South Asia the “sub continent”
South Asia/ Sub Continent of Asia South Asia
History has created diversity today!
Indus Civilization2600 B.C.E- 1600 B.C.E
First Civilization
India is named after the Indus River
First civilization and religiously important…
Flourished at the time when both Ancient Egypt and Sumer were at their heights.
Indus River Valley is in present day Pakistan.
What were the cities of this early civilization?
Indus Valley CitiesMohenjo-daro, Baths
Excavated ruinsCoastal Harappan
settlement
Gods of Indus ValleySeated Shiva figure termed Pashupati Shiva statue
Aryan Period1600 BCE – 500 BCE
Where did they come from?
Aryan/Vedic period
Aryans brought language & their gods!
Sanskrit Rig Vedas
They brought…Domestic Horse &
sacred Cow
Indus Bull
Iron weapons & conquest
Established the Caste System
Alexander the Great
Conquered Northern India- 325 B.C.E.
Alexander didn’t stay long, after a few years he returned to
Babylon-where he died
A man named Chandragupta was able to overthrow the
Aryan kingdom and form a big new empire over all of northern India and into Afghanistan- The
Mauryan Empire
Mauryan Period326 B.C.E- 184 B.C.E
Mauryan LeadersChandragupta Emperor Ashoka
Ashoka Greatest King of the Mauryans
Why is he a hero? Ashoka’s Edicts
Gupta Empire re-unites India.
320 A.D.- 535 A.D.
Emperor Chandragupta (chose name from great Mauryan
ruler)
Empire last for about 200 years
Southern India is NOT part of the empire & is still controlled
by different Hindu Kings.
Gupta Empire = Golden Ages
Like many other empires in the world- Gupta was time of Golden Ages..
Han Dynasty
African Kingdoms- Ghana & Mali
European Renaissance in the Middle Ages
Enlightenment
Pax Romana
Southern part of India?King Raja Raja Chola
Ruled by Hindu Kingdoms
Decline of the Gupta Empire
As the Gupta empire becomes weak and declines, invaders from many areas take over parts of South Asia.
Next 1,000 years no real unity, different kingdoms etc.
One kingdom was King Raja Raja Chola…
Beginning of Muslim influence in South
Asia1st Muslim EmpireDelhi Sultanate
13th- 18th Centuries1200 A.D.- 1700 A.D.
Delhi SultanatesSeries of Dynasties
Old Delhi becomes capital of Islamic India.
Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq, Delhi Old Delhi
Invaders from Central Asia: Mongolians
Mugal/Mongol Empire
2nd Muslim Empire- 1500’s- 1800s.
Gun Powder Empire
It consolidated Islam in South Asia.
Spread Muslim/Persian Arts and Culture.
Centralized government & many smaller kingdoms.
Fusion of languages
Mugal (Mongol) Islamic Empire
Master of “Hindustan”Zahiruddin Muhammad
Babur
Tolerance & intolerance!
Under Baber, Muslims were NOT absorbed into Hindu society.
Hindus were forced to pay “tax” that was not required of Muslims.
Destruction of Hindu temples; some conflict between
Hindus/Muslims.
However for much of their empire they allowed Hindus to reach senior government or military
positions.
Akbar the GreatWhy ?
Shah Jahan What is his legacy?
European Imperialism ends Muslim rule in S.
Asia.
