The Dravidians are thought to be the first group of people to inhabit the Indus River Valley as early as 2,500 BC. These people had a culture based mainly on agriculture which they were able to trade successfully. However, this culture began to deteriorate, and while historians are not entirely sure why, many suggest ecological changes which made it harder to farm as the reason. Following the Dravidians came the Aryans from Central Asia around 1500 BC.
Medieval India was characterized by frequent invasions and the establishment of many kingdoms, however, no ruler was able to create an empire and their control was contained to core regions. The Gupta Empire, formed in the fourth century, collapsed by the sixth century. The Huns came from Central Asia but their rule only lasted for around thirty years. By the eighth century India was split into several kingdoms who were frequently at war with each other.
The Mughal Empire was an important time in India’s history. It was founded by Babur, a descendant of Genghis Kahn, when he first invaded in 1525. The empire reached its peak during the seventeenth century when it oversaw the building of the Taj Mahal. It took 20,000 craftsmen and laborers 22 years +977 14511001 to build the great Taj Mahal, which is still to this day one of India’s most iconic images. The seventeenth century also saw a wave of European arrivals. The English East India Company was established in 1600 followed by a trading base in 1639. A Persian attack on the Mughal Empire in 1739 left it incredibly weak, allowing the British to assert their influence.