Ancient · Medieval · Modern India · Freedom Movement · Art & Culture — UPSC CSE
| Period | Features |
|---|---|
| Early Vedic (Rig Vedic, 1500–1000 BCE) | Pastoral; Tribe-based; Jan, Vis, Grama as units; Sabha, Samiti — democratic assemblies; cattle = wealth |
| Later Vedic (1000–600 BCE) | Agriculture dominant; Varna system crystallised; Kingdom (Rashtra); big kingdoms emerged; Brahmanical dominance |
Chandragupta Maurya (322 BCE) founded it with Chanakya's guidance. Ashoka (268–232 BCE) was the greatest — after Kalinga War (261 BCE) he adopted Buddhism and spread Dhamma.
Chandragupta I, Samudragupta (Napoleon of India), Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). Aryabhatta (mathematics, astronomy), Kalidasa (Shakuntala, Meghaduta), Varahamihira, Fa Hien's visit.
| Dynasty | Period | Key Rulers |
|---|---|---|
| Slave (Mamluk) | 1206–1290 | Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultan, Balban |
| Khalji | 1290–1320 | Alauddin Khalji (market reforms, Mongol repulsion) |
| Tughlaq | 1320–1414 | Ghiyas-ud-din, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firuz Shah Tughlaq |
| Sayyid | 1414–1451 | Khizr Khan |
| Lodi | 1451–1526 | Ibrahim Lodi (defeated by Babur at Panipat 1526) |
| Year | Act/Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1757 | Battle of Plassey | British political power in India begins |
| 1765 | Diwani Rights (Bengal) | Revenue collection rights to East India Company |
| 1773 | Regulating Act | First step toward parliamentary control over EIC |
| 1784 | Pitt's India Act | Dual control — Board of Control + Court of Directors |
| 1835 | Macaulay's Minute | English as medium of education in India |
| 1857 | Charter Act | Company rule ends; Crown Rule begins |
| 1909 | Morley-Minto Reforms | Communal electorate introduced |
| 1919 | Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms | Dyarchy in provinces |
| 1935 | Government of India Act | Provincial autonomy; federal structure; basis of Constitution |
| Year | Event | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Indian National Congress founded | A.O. Hume; first session in Bombay under W.C. Bonnerjee |
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal | Curzon; Swadeshi Movement; Boycott of British goods |
| 1906 | Muslim League founded | Dhaka; Aga Khan |
| 1907 | Surat Split | Moderates vs Extremists; Bal-Pal-Lal (Tilak, Pal, Lajpat Rai) |
| 1915 | Gandhi returns to India | Champaran Satyagraha 1917 (first) |
| 1919 | Jallianwala Bagh massacre | 13 April; General Dyer; Rowlatt Act protests |
| 1920–22 | Non-Cooperation Movement | First mass movement; withdrawn after Chauri Chaura (1922) |
| 1930 | Civil Disobedience / Salt March | Dandi March (12 March – 6 April); Gandhi leads 241 miles |
| 1942 | Quit India Movement | "Do or Die"; Gandhi arrested; underground leaders active |
| 1947 | Independence | 15 August; Lord Mountbatten; Partition into India & Pakistan |
| Style | Period | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Nagara (North) | Medieval | Khajuraho temples, Konark, Somnath; curvilinear shikhara |
| Dravida (South) | Medieval | Brihadeeswarar (Tanjore), Meenakshi; pyramid gopuram |
| Vesara (Mixed) | Medieval | Chalukyan temples of Karnataka |
| Indo-Islamic | Sultanate/Mughal | Qutb Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Taj Mahal, Red Fort |
| Colonial | British | Victoria Memorial, Gateway of India, Bombay High Court |