4. Conditions of subcontinent before arrival of muslims


-Vedism 900 BC.
-Gautam Buddha 500 BC, rejected the caste system and affirmed human equality.
-Imperial Guptas 400 BC
-Jainism
-Subcontinent was divided in small states ruled by Rajas.
-Wars for enhancing territoires of their states
-Some of them ruled on wider territories such as “Ashuk” follower of Buddhism, others were Chander Gupt, Vikrma jeet.
-Powerful Hindu Raja Harish, ruled whole northern India.He died in 648 AD.
-Muslims entered in 711, in subcontinent
-Sindh was the gateway to islam.
-Indian spices and other articles were famous and traded to europe and Africa. Goods were carried from indian ports to Yemen and then to syria from where shipped to Egypt and Africa.
-Transit trade between india and Africa and europe was in hands of arabs

Political Conditions
-No central govt after death of Harsha 647 AD
-State divided into smaller provinces ruled by local rajas
-Wars waged to to bring more territories under their control

Religious Conditions
-Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were major religions, hinduism was most widespread
-Hinduism did not left the philosophy of violence, so that buddhism and jainism declined
-Hindu preached many Gods some of theme were Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver), and Shiva (Destroyer).
-Hindus started to worship their national heroes to popularize the religion

Social Conditions

-Caste system collapsed the social order
-It was believed that God Brahma created peoples from parts of body, Brahmin created from head, they were priests and enjoyed the prestige. Khatris form arms so they were assigned the work of defense. Vesh from abdomen so they were tenants and laborers. Shodar from feet so they became servants, slaves called untouchables.
-Birth of girl was considered bad
-Women was burned alive at the funeral of husband in Sati custom.

Economic Condition

-Kings, landlords and governors spent money collected from revenue on their own comfort.
-Majority belonged to poor class, living in villages and spent miserable life.

Education and literature

-There were schools and colleges all over the country.
-Some universities like Nalanda and Kashi Banaras provided free education.

Downfall of the muslim rule



1. British Rule in South Asia

-Indian products were famous in europe, traded via Arab countries
-Subcontinent was known as golden sparrow, for its production.
-Arabs had control over sea and land trade routes.
-European wanted to trade directly with SouthAsian for which they started to discover sea routes towards south Asia.
-Portuguese and spain made large ships for that purpose
-VasCodegama in 1498 discovered India at Kalikat, passing through South Africa
-Portugees made trade colonies at kalikat.
-Dutch defeated portuguese and settled trade colonies
-Rise of the East India Company
-British defeated dutch and made a trading company, Surat City was their trading hub in beginning in1600 AD.

2. Resistance to foreign intervention


-Bengal, Bihar and Orissa Conquest by british.
-Ali Wardi Khan bengal ruled in bengal till 1756.
-Nawab Siraj Doliya the grandson of Wardi khan, Nawab disliked the foreign intervention and ordered to french and british to withdraw to their countries, Nawab sieged Factory Kasim Bazar, british fled to Calcutta and then to Island. Robert Clive and Watson came to calculate with Army to fight Nawab,
-Manik Chand betrayed nawab and parted away from war, handed over Calcutta to british.
-British moved to Doliya's Capital MurshidAbad.
-Mir Jafar the Commander of Doliya’s Army separated from war with many rebels, Mir Jafar later betrayed nawab and helped british to arrest Nawab, he was killed later.
-Mir Jafar was made nawab of bengal later by british, when Jafar couldn’t afford to pay bribe to british officer he was sacked and his Son in Law Mir Qasim was made Nawab.
-Qasim opposed british and sought help of Nawab of Awadh Shuja Doliya and Mughal king Shah Ali Sani to defeat british.
-Buxar war fought b/w three armies after tough fight british defeated Qasim, occupied Begal, Bihar, and Orissa.

Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

-Nizam of Hyderabad Decan, Hyder Ali and Marhattas, then ruled the Subcontinent
-Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan defied british,
-Hyder Ali was born in 1763 at Decan in a Qureshi family, His father was in Messwar Hindu State, Hyder Ali was made commander on merit.
-After death of Raja of Messwar, his son was inexperienced Hyder Ali took charge of the state.
First was of Messwar.-Hyder took help of Marhattas and Nizam to drew british. Fought first war in 1767. Nizam seperated during war, hyder bravely conquered many areas, Marhattas opposed Hyder for that hyder agreed ceasefire.
Second War of Meshwar. -Nizam betrayed second time, Hyder Ali's Son Tipu defeated british at Janjhur. Hyder died in 1782, tipu continued the battle and conquered many areas.
Third War of Meshwar.
-Marathas and Nizam opposed Tipu, Tipu sought help of Germany and Turkey.couldn’t avail.
-Mahrattas and british attacked meshwar in 1790, and sieged bangalore surrounded sultan mahal in 1992, after agreement, half of the state went to british and two sons of tipu were mortgaged to british.
Fourth War of Meshwar.
-Nizam and British fought with again in meshwar in 1999 tipu was martyred in front of his mahal.

3. War of Independence.

-Reasons
-Annihilation of states by lord dowse
-Conditions to annihilate state to british if ruler have no siblings
-State of Rani Jhansi was seized.
-Lord Canning warned that after Zafar shah bahadur, muslims will have to empty the red fort.
-Nawab of Awadh was home arrested at calcutta and its state was seized
-Christianity
-Peoples were converted and persuaded towards Christianity
-Military cause
-War allowance discontinued
-Salaries and allowances of britishers were higher than Indians
-Quick cause
-85 soldiers denied in merath cant the use of cartoos, they broke the prison, Zafar shah bahadus was made leader and general bakht commander of army
-At lakhnow Ahmed shah, at khanpur Nana Sahib, Rani jhansi was also killed during fight.
-Sept 1858, general nicholson defeated zafar shah bahadur, sent to rangoon, he died in 1862.

Historical Background of Subcontinent

1. Indus Civilization 2500-1600 BC
Present Pakistanis are said to be the inheritors of the first major civilization of South Asia. It was unknown until the evacuation of the site at Mohenjo Daro near Larkana in 1920. Indus civilization is also known the Bronze Age civilization. Indus peoples had trade relations with Mesopotamia, the modern day Iraq, Syria and Kuwait, their origin is not known yet. They lived in city culture as it appeared from the evacuated site there appeared wide paved streets, houses were made of baked bricks, bathrooms, drainage system. People seemed to be prosperous and lived happy life. Copper and silver found in abundant, other things include jewelry, clay pots, farming tools, the statue of dancing girl, seals and many other things show the lifestyle and living of this ancient civilization. The script on seals is yet undecipherable. Boats and ships were made for carrying merchandise of trade. They had knowledge of farming and weaving clothes. The destruction of this civilized peoples is yet mystery, it is one of the hypothesis that they were might be attacked from north.

Next topic will be the Aryan civilization. Add your knowledge in above topic.

2. Aryan Civilization (1500 BC)

The second most ancient civilization of subcontinent is Aryans, they migrated from Central Asia. There migration is attributed to drought; shortage of grass for cattle. They entered the subcontinent through khyber pass, defeating, whosoever came in their way. They settled first in areas mostly included in Pakistan, then they moved to Ganga and Jumna. Aryans founded Rigvedic society, and brought old version of Sanskrit, form which present day Urdu, Sindhi languages are derived. Aryans seemed to be combatant, tall and strong in appearance, hence, they defeated the local population and settled in the subcontinent.
Aryans were cattle breeders, they worked in fields and live village life, in joint family, usually whole authority hold by head of the family. Head of the family enjoyed all powers and was responsible to look after the affairs of family.
Their society was divided into caste system, four of which are more famous 1. Brahmans (Religious leaders and superior than all), 2. Kshatriya (Soldiers and who carried out the work of defense), 3. Vaish (Craftsman, Farmers, Laborers), 4. Shudders (Untouchables, assigned the work to serve the nobles, usually the Brahmans, they became servants, sweepers).
Aryans brought craftsman, Goldsmiths, Carpenters, masons. They knew to make large boats, ships, hence they discovered more areas, rivers and settled as a farmer's. They also knew the art of cloth making, weaving, women used to wear jewelry.