A Brief History of India
Caroline House
India is a modern nation that has grown out of many ancient civilizations. As it has grown and expanded in size, it has absorbed these civilizations and cultures to become the nation it is today.What we think of as India arose in the Indus Valley Civilization in the period 3300 to 1700 BC. The Vedic Period followed from 1700 to 500 BC and included the development of Hinduism. Around 260 BC, the Emporer Ashoka unified much of India. After his conversion to Buddhism, the religion spread to much of Asia. Around the 8th Century AD, Islamic invaders entered India and by the 11th century AD had established themselves as a major force and culture. The Delhi Sultanate led to the Mughal Empire which controlled a large portion of India.
Marco Polo visited India in 1288 AD. In 1498 the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama visited the city of Goa. As more Europeans came to India, increased trade and rivalry caused the Mughal Empire to collapse. India broke into smaller regional state powers. After a number of wars, the British eventually gained control of India and made it part of their Empire. India was ruled as a British Colony from roughly 1818 until 1947. During this time many Indians wanted freedom for their country. Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian who led a non-violent movement for independance, which was eventually successful. At independance, India was divided into two countries, Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. Unfortunately India and Pakistan have fought several wars since their separation. 