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history of India
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Map showing important sites in the history of the ancient Indus civilization, including cities and agricultural sites, along with the locations of modern-day cities. Side-by-side historical maps of the Indian subcontinent. The left map shows India around 500 BC with major kingdoms and regions labeled, such as Kamboja, Gandhara, Magadha, and Avanti. The right map depicts Ashoka's empire at its greatest extent around 250 BC, shaded in purple, covering much of northern, central, and eastern India, with marked sites of Ashokan rock and pillar edicts and the probable boundary of the empire. Map showing the extent of the Gupta empire at the end of the 4th century. Historical map of early Muslim India from around 1200 to 1500, showing regions, ruling families, dynasties, and major cities. The map highlights capital cities, trade centers, and sacred centers across northern, central, and southern India, with major rivers and the boundaries of historic regions such as the Sultanate, Vijayanagara, and Bahmani. Historical map showing the development of the Mughal Empire in South Asia from 1526 to 1707. The map uses color shading to indicate the empire's territorial extent in 1530, its expansion by 1605, and its maximum reach by 1707. Major rivers, regions, and cities are labeled, with arrows marking the routes of Mughal expansion campaigns and boundaries of the Suri empire. Historical map of western and southern India showing the Maratha kingdom at the time of Shivaji's death in 1680. Shivaji's territories are highlighted in green, stretching along the western coast and inland, while the broader region of Maharashtra is shaded in purple. Major cities, rivers, and neighboring regions such as Bijapur, Golconda, and the Arabian Sea are labeled. Historical map of India from 1797 to 1805 showing British territory in 1797, territorial acquisitions from 1797 to 1805, states under subsidiary alliances, Maratha lands in 1805, the Peshwa region, and areas ruled by princes who had accepted subsidiary alliances. The map uses different colors to distinguish these regions and displays major cities, rivers, and neighboring territories. Three historical maps of India side by side show the reorganization of states and union territories since independence. The left map depicts India in 1955 with the integration of former princely states, the center map displays state boundaries after the 1956 States Reorganization Act and subsequent changes through 1999, and the right map shows India since 2000 with further administrative updates. States and provinces are shaded in orange, union territories in green, and international boundaries
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history of India

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Map showing important sites in the history of the ancient Indus civilization, including cities and agricultural sites, along with the locations of modern-day cities.
Principal sites of the Indus civilization

The history of India is a vast and complex narrative spanning millennia. It begins with the Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's earliest urban cultures, flourishing around 2500–1800 BCE. Following this, various rural cultures emerged, leading to a second urbanization around the 6th century BCE, particularly in the Gangetic Basin.12

This period saw the rise of significant empires, including the Mauryan Empire, which unified much of the subcontinent. The medieval period witnessed the emergence and consolidation of Islam in the north, with empires like the Delhi sultanate and the Mughal dynasty leaving a lasting impact on administration, law, and culture. In the south, the Chola dynasty was a major maritime power.23

The 18th century marked the ascendancy of European colonial powers, culminating in British rule. The Indian Independence Movement successfully ended British rule on August 14–15, 1947, though it also led to the partition of India and Pakistan. Independent India inherited a predominantly agricultural economy and embarked on a path of state-directed industrialization, later transitioning to liberalization and reform.2456

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
9 Britannica Sources
  1. Indian Independence Movement: Top Questions
  2. diplomacy - India
  3. Government of India Acts
  4. Indus civilization: Top Questions
  5. South Asian arts - Indus Valley civilization ( c. 2500–1800 bc )
  6. economy of India - Accelerated growth (1947–65)
  7. South Asia - Medieval history
  8. economy of India - Liberalization and reform (1991–2000)
  9. list of emperors

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