SSC CGL Preparation – Day 1

History – Ancient India

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🏛️ Ancient India Overview

Ancient India covers the long period from Prehistoric times to the end of the Gupta Empire (~6th century CE). It includes:

• Prehistoric Period
• Indus Valley Civilization
• Vedic Age
• Mahajanapadas
• Religious Developments (Jainism, Buddhism)
• Mauryan Empire
• Post-Mauryan Kingdoms
• Gupta Empire

Today we mainly focus till the Early Empires (before Maurya).

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1️⃣ Prehistoric Period

➔ Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age)

• Time: 2 million years ago – 10,000 BC
• Lifestyle: Nomadic, hunter-gatherers
• Tools: Stone tools, hand axes
• Sites: Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh) – Rock paintings

➔ Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age)

• Time: 10,000 BC – 8,000 BC
• Features:
  • Small tools (Microliths)
  • Beginning of domestication of animals

➔ Neolithic Age (New Stone Age)

• Time: 8,000 BC – 2,000 BC
• Features:
  • Agriculture starts
  • Pottery developed
  • Village life started
• Sites:
  • Mehrgarh (Pakistan) – Earliest farming site
  • Burzahom (Kashmir) – Pit dwellings

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2️⃣ Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization)

• Time: 2500 BC – 1750 BC
• Location: Along the Indus River (present-day Pakistan and northwest India)

➔ Key Features:

• Urban planning: Grid pattern, drainage system
• Cities: Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Lothal
• Economy: Agriculture (wheat, barley), trade (Mesopotamia)
• Script: Undeciphered
• Religion: Worship of Mother Goddess, Pashupati (proto-Shiva)
• Decline: Possibly due to floods, climate change, Aryan invasion theory

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3️⃣ Vedic Age

Divided into two phases:

• Early Vedic Period (1500–1000 BC)
• Later Vedic Period (1000–600 BC)

➔ Early Vedic Age:

• Arrival of Aryans in India
• Rigveda composed (oldest text)
• Pastoral economy (cattle-rearing)

➔ Later Vedic Age:

• Agriculture became dominant
• Rise of kingdoms (Mahajanapadas)
• Social hierarchy: Varna system (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras)
• Epics: Mahabharata, Ramayana written in later times

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4️⃣ Mahajanapadas (600 BC – 300 BC)

• 16 major kingdoms like Magadha, Kosala, Kashi, Vajji
• Magadha (Bimbisara, Ajatashatru) became most powerful

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5️⃣ Religious Developments

➔ Jainism

• Founder: Mahavira (24th Tirthankara)
• Core ideas: Ahimsa (non-violence), truth, non-stealing
• Texts: Agamas
• Sects: Shwetambara, Digambara

➔ Buddhism

• Founder: Gautama Buddha
• Core ideas:
  • Four Noble Truths
  • Eightfold Path
• Concepts: Nirvana (liberation)
• Councils: 1st at Rajgir, 2nd at Vaishali

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⚡ Important Terms & Facts to Remember:

Term	Explanation
Bhimbetka	Prehistoric rock shelters
Harappa	First Indus city discovered (1921)
Rigveda	Oldest literary work of India
Mahajanapadas	16 powerful states
Tripitaka	Buddhist scriptures
Ahimsa	Key Jain philosophy

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🎯 Quick One-Liners for MCQs:

• Harappa was discovered by Daya Ram Sahni (1921).
• Mehrgarh is the earliest Neolithic site in India.
• Rigveda mentions the river Saraswati the most.
• First Buddhist Council was held under the patronage of Ajatashatru.
• Chanhudaro was famous for bead making.

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📝 Practice Questions:

1. Which site is known for prehistoric cave paintings?
   ➔ Bhimbetka
2. Who discovered the ruins of Harappa?
   ➔ Daya Ram Sahni
3. The Tripitaka is associated with which religion?
   ➔ Buddhism
4. The main occupation of Aryans during the early Vedic period was?
   ➔ Pastoralism (Cattle rearing)