• Development of urban grain-growing civilization on the Indus River;
• Two main cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro;
• Undeciphered proto-Dravidian script;
• Destroyed by climate, invasion of non-Indus peoples

• Migration into northwest India of nomadic herding tribes from Iranian plateau;
• Indo-European language;
• Oral religious traditions preserved in Vedas, oldest of which, the Rig Veda, predates migration

• Early Hinduism characterized by rituals belief in reincarnation, dharma, karma and division of society into four classes (varnas)

Invasion of Alexander the Great

Mauryan Empire

• Domination of North India by Chandragupta, extended to south by grandson, Ashoka.

• Major texts of Hindu tradition take shape: Mahabharata, Ramayana, codification of laws, grammar, science, arts;
• Gods Shiva, Vishnu major figures;
• Spread of Sanskritic culture to South India

• Invasions by Central Asian tribes: Bactrian Greeks; Sakas; Kushans, who establish a dynasty, ca.78 BCE-200 CE

• Matured Hindu tradition expressed in poetry, drama [Kalidasa]; art, temple architecture; philosophy [Vedanta]; new fonts of devotional [bhakti] worship.

• Guptas dominate North India at beginning of 'classical' period.

• Successive invasions of Huns and other Central Asian tribes destroy Gupta empire.

• Warlike clans appear in Rajasthan

• Pallava dynasty dominates south; continuing conflict with Cholas, with Cheras, Pandyas

• Invasions of Muslims from Central Asia lead to political dominance of Muslims in North India and introduction of Persian culture, Islamic religion into South Asia.

• Turko-Afghan chieftains establish sultanate at Delhi; dominate North India

• Rise of Hindu kingdom in South India;
• Independent of Muslim rulers until destruction of capital city in 1565.

• Mughal empire unifies North and parts of South India under its rule;
• Amalgam of Persian and Indian culture created in its courts and territories.

• Establishment of trading outposts in India:
  Dutch (1609); English (1612); French (1674)

• Victory over Nawab of Bengal gives East India company control of Bengal and begins expansion of British power in India.

• Political dominance of British introduces Western culture, language, methods of government, technology into urban administrative centers.

• Independence from British rule and Partition of British India into modern countries of India and Pakistan (East and West)

• War between East and West Pakistan results in separation of Pakistan into two states: Pakistan and Bangladesh