The History of India, 2nd Edition (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations)

This accessible, narrative account follows Indian history over its 9,000 year trajectory, from the ancient Harappans to today, emphasizing events and issues of the 20th and 21st centuries.Written for high school students and general readers who have little background on the world's largest democracy, this second edition of a popular work provides an objective overview of Indian history with a particular focus on the modern nation. Approximately half of the book deals with developments since the beginning of the 20th century, with new chapters covering events and issues that made news between 2002 and 2014.Readers can learn about the Bollywood craze, 21st-century economic growth, and concerns about the safety and equality of women today, as well as about such traditional topics as Buddhism and Hinduism, the Mughal Dynasty, and the British East India Company. Caste politics and the establishment of the Republic of India are covered, as is the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Completely revised and expanded, the second edition features fresh content throughout and includes photographs that were not in the earlier volume. The Notable Figures section, Appendix of Leaders, timeline, and glossary are also updated, and the bibliography now features electronic resources for students. Written for high school students and general readers who have little background on the world's largest democracy, this second edition of a popular work provides an objective overview of Indian history with a particular focus on the modern nation. Approximately half of the book deals with developments since the beginning of the 20th century, with new chapters covering events and issues that made news between 2002 and 2014. Readers can learn about the Bollywood craze, 21st-century economic growth, and concerns about the safety and equality of women today, as well as about such traditional topics as Buddhism and Hinduism, the Mughal Dynasty, and the British East India Company. Caste politics and the establishment of the Republic of India are covered, as is the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Completely revised and expanded, the second edition features fresh content throughout and includes photographs that were not in the earlier volume. The Notable Figures section, Appendix of Leaders, timeline, and glossary are also updated, and the bibliography now features electronic resources for students Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Series Foreword 8 Preface 12 Timeline of Historical Events 16 1 The Settings 24 2 The Birth of India 36 3 Religion, Trade, and Conquest 58 4 The Rise and Fall of the Mughal Dynasty 78 5 A Century of Realignment 96 6 Indians and British Rule 114 7 The Struggle for Independence 134 8 Building the New India 162 9 Toward a New Dynasty 180 10 India Transformed 202 11 Into the Twenty-First Century 222 Notable People in the History of India 236 Appendix: Mughal Emperors, British Governors General and Viceroys, Prime Ministers of India 248 Glossary 252 Bibliographic Essay 264 Index 268 About the Author 278 The settings The birth of India Religion, trade, and conquest The rise and fall of the Mughal Dynasty A century of realignment Indians and British rule The struggle for independence Building the new India Towards a new dynasty India transformed Into the twenty-first century.