History Optional Notes for OPSC (Premium)
Ancient India
1. Sources
2. Early pastoral and agricultural communities
- Beginning of Agriculture in Neolithic and Chalcolithic Age
- Chalcolithic Pottery as a Source of History
3. The Sindhu-Saraswati Civilization
- Indus Valley Civilisation: Origin
- Indus Valley Civilisation: Date and Extent
- Indus Valley Civilization: Characteristics and Significance
- Indus Valley Civilization: Art and Crafts
- Indus Valley Civilization: Architecture
- Subsistence Pattern of Harappan Civilisation
- Harappan Religious and Funerary Beliefs
- Harappan Trade
- Political System of Harappa Civilization
- Harappan Script
- Seals of Harappan Civilization: Seals and Sealings
- Decline and Survival of Indus Valley Civilisation
4. History from c. 2000 to 500 B.C.
5. Evolution of society and culture: evidence of Vedic texts (Samhitas to Sutras).
- Expansions of Aryans in India
- Vedic Period: Political, Social and Economical life
- Vedic Literature: Religious and Philosophic Literature
- Transformation from Rig Vedic period to the later Vedic period
- Evolution of Monarchy and Varna system.
6. Period of Mahajanapada
- Formation of States (Mahajanapadas): Republic and Monarchies
- Rise of Urban Centres; Trade routes; Economic Growth
- Introduction of Coinage
- Spread of Buddhism
- Spread of Jainism
- Similarities & Differences between Jainism and Buddhism
- Rise of Magadha Empire and Nandas
- Iranian and Macedonian Invasions and Their Impact
7. Rise of Magadha
- Rise of Magadha;
- the Mauryan empire.
- Ashoka’s inscriptions;
- his dhamma.
- Nature of the Mauryan state.
8. Post-Mauryan period in India
- Political and administrative history,.
- Society, economy, culture and religion.
- Tamilaham and its society
- the Sangam texts
9. India in the Gupta and post-Gupta periods (to c. 750)
- Political history of India;
- Samanta system and changes in political structure;
- economy; social structure; culture; religion.
10. Themes in early Indian cultural history
- languages and texts;
- major stages in the evolution of art and architecture;
- major philosphical thinkers and schools;
- ideas in science & Technology and mathematics.
11. Kalinga War and Kharavela
- Kalinga War;
- Kharavela-achievements.
12. Political History of Odisha (c.4th Century CE – 7th Centry CE)
- The Sailodbhavas
- The Bhaumakaras
Medieval India
13. India, 750-1200
- Polity, society and economy.
- Major dynasties and political structures in North India.
- Agrarian structures.
- Feudalism in India.
- Rise of Rajputs.
- The Imperial Cholas and their contemporaries in South India.
- Villagle communities in the South.
- Conditions of women.
- Commerce-mercantile groups and guilds; towns.
- Problem of coinage.
- Arab conquest of Sind;
- the Ghaznavide empire.
14. India, 750-1200
- Culture,
- Literature,
- Kalhana as a historian.
- Styles of temple architecture;
- sculpture;
- Religious thought and institutions:
- Sankaracharya’s Vedanta.
- Ramanuja.
- Growth of Bhakti,
- Advent of Islam in India;
- Sufism.
- Indian science.
- Alberuni and his study of Indian science and civilization.
15. The 13th Century
- The Ghorian invasions.
- Factors behind Ghorian success,
- Economic, social and cultural consequences;
- Foundation of Delhi Sultanate.
- The “Slave” Dynasty. IItutmish; Balban;
- Early Sultanate architecture.
16. The 14th Century
- Alauddin Khalji’s conquests,
- agrarian and economic measures;
- Muhammad Tughluq’s major “projects”;
- Firuz Tughluq’s concessions and public works;
- Decline of the Sultante;
- Foreign contacts: Ibn Battuta.
17. Economy Society and Culture in the 13th and 14th centuries.
- Caste and slavery under Sultanate,
- Technological changes,
- Sultanate architecture,
- Persian literature:
- Amir Khusrau, Historiography;
- Zia-ud—din Barani.
- Evolution of a composite culture,
- Sufism in North India,
- Lingayats, Bhakti schools in the south.
18. The 15th and early 16th Century (Political History)
- Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat, Malwa, Bahmanids,
- The Vijayanagra Empire.
- Lodis.
- Mughal Empire, First phase : Babur, Humayun.
- The Sur Empire : Sher Shah’s administration.
- The Portuguese colonial enterprise.
19. The 15th and early 16th Century (society, economy and culture).
- Regional cultures and literatures,
- provincial architectural styles.
- Society, culture, literature and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.
- Monotheistic movements: Kabir and Nanak.
- Bhakti Movements: Chaitanya,
- Sufism in its pantheistic phase.
20. Akbar: His conquests and consolidation of empire.
- Establishment of jagir and mansab systems.
- His Rajput policy.
- Evolution of religious and social outlook.
- Theory of Sulh-i-kul and religious policy.
- Abul Fazl, thinker and historian.
- Court patronage of art and technology.
21. Mughal empire during 17th & 18th Centuries
- Major policies (administrative and religious) of Jahangir,
- Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
- The Empire and the Zamindars.
- Nature of the Mughal state.
- Late 17th Century crisis: Revolts.
- Shivaji and the early Maratha kingdom;
- Decline of Mughals .
- Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas.
22. Economy and Society, 16th and 17th Centuries.
- Population. Agricultural and craft production.
- Towns;
- Trade and Commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies;
- Indian mercantile classes.
- Banking, insurance and credit systems.
- Conditions of peasants, famines.
- Condition of Women.
23. Culture during Mughal Empire.
- Persian literature (including historical works).
- Hindi and religious literatures.
- Mughal architecture.
- Mughal Painting.
- Provincial schools of architecture and painting.
- Classical music.
- Science and technology.
- Sawai Jai Singh as astronomer.
- Mystic eclecticism : Dara Shukoh.
- Vaishnav Bhakti.
- Maharastra Dharma.
- Evolution of the Sikh community (Khalsa).
24. Medieval Odisha
- The Bhaumakaras
- the Somavamsis;
- The Imperial Gangas and
- Suryavamsi Gajapatis;
- Cult of Jagannatha.