What do you know about India?

What was India like before the arrival of the British? By the end of the lesson you will: Know some of the key facts about the Mughal Empire Explain how the Empire developed over time Analysed what the Empire would have been like based on interpreting sources

A.D. 50 Trade flourishes between India and the Roman Empire. Romans eagerly buy Indian pearls, ivory, silk, spices, cloth and precious stones.

320-550AD /CE After centuries of being split into small kingdoms and republics, India is ruled by the Gupta Empire. Under the rule of the Gupta kings, Hinduism becomes the major religion of the empire. Literature, art, architecture and science flourish during this "classical age" of peace and prosperity.

1526 The rule of the Mughal Empire begins, unifying much of south India with the north for the first time. It was the most powerful Islamic state to rule in India. It was at its most prosperous during the 17th century, when fine buildings such as the TAJ MAHAL were constructed.

Who were the Mughals? The first Mughal emperor was Babur (the original of the elephant Babar in the stories!) Soon the powerful Mughal empire ruled all of what is now northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Its rulers were very rich and powerful. Nur Jahan The Mughal queen Nur Jahan held a lot of power in the early 1600s. She struck coins in her own name. Nur Jahan tried to build an alliance between herself and the Ottoman queen Kosem Sultan and the Uzbeks against her enemies the Safavids, (from Persia or modern Iran). Use a world map to locate all these places

Mughal Emperor Akbar Babur's grandson Akbar, reigned from 1556 to 1605. He made the Mughal throne more secure and greatly expanded the empire. India was difficult to rule because it was basically a Hindu culture governed by Muslims and because of the variety of languages and traditions of its people. Akbar reformed the government to make it fairer and allowed Muslims, Hindus, and Christians alike to practice their beliefs. He promoted art and learning. During the reign of Akbar, India entered into relations with Great Britain. Some present-day provincial governments in India and Pakistan are based in part on reforms made more than 300 years ago by Akbar.

Akbar's son Jahangir ruled after him (1605–27), and his grandson Shah Jahan (1628–58) followed. Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb (1658–1707) was the last great ruler of the empire. His rule began well, and he brought the Muslim Deccan kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda under Mughal control. He was intolerant of other religions, however, and persecuted the Hindus. This led to rebellions, and the cost of suppressing these rebellions emptied the imperial treasury. When he died, the rulers that followed could not successfully regain control of the land. During the reign of Muhammad Shah (1719–48) the empire began to shrink, and within a few years the Mughals ruled only Delhi and a small area around it. By 1803 the British had taken control. The last Mughal was Bahadur Shah II, whose reign began in 1837. He was expelled from India for taking part in a mutiny against the British in 1857 known as the Sepoy Revolt.

Task Use the two A3 sheets to brainstorm more points about Akbar and also the Mughal Empire.

Religious intolerance – causing rebellions Dissatisfaction with the Mughal government – rebellions Growing influence of the British Lack of money – caused by fighting rebellions Aurangzeb failed to make good alliances to help him against rebellions A series of weak rulers who were dominated by ambitious subordinates Lack of trust between the ruled and the rulers

Imagine you are a travel writer in the 16th Century Imagine you are a travel writer in the 16th Century. Write an entry for a travel book summing up the history of India during the Mughal Empire and how it developed over time. You could think about including : a map, details of how the Empire was run and the impact this had on different religious groups Any positive aspects of the Empire – who benefitted Any negative aspects of the Empire – who lost out or was treated badly Any advice to help you on your journey through the Empire Reasons why the Mughal empire declined Key people Barbur -> Akbar -> Jahangir ->Shah Jahan -> Aurangzeb -> Muhammad Shah -> Bahadur Shah II

Helpful sites http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/mughalempire_1.shtml http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/396125/Mughal-dynasty

What was India like before the arrival of the British? Now check that you can demonstrate where you have: Identified some of the key facts about the Mughal Empire Explained how the Empire developed over time Analysed what the Empire would have been like based on interpreting sources