Ancient Indian History Notes for UPSC [All Parts]

Ancient Indian History Notes for UPSC

We have divided Ancient Indian history in 14 chapters. Link of all the 14 chapters of Ancient Indian history is given at the top and bottom of this post.

Ancient History Notes	For UPSC IAS EXAM
Chapter 1	Sources of History
Chapter 2	Stone Age
Chapter 3	Indus Valley Civilization
Chapter 4	Vedic age
Chapter 5	Jainism & Buddhism
Chapter 6	Magadha Empire
Chapter 7	Mauryan Empire
Chapter 8	Post Mauryan
Chapter 9	Growth of Trade
Chapter 10	Gupta Empire
Chapter 11	Chola, Chera & Pandya
Chapter 12	Eastern Indian Kingdoms
Chapter 13	Ancient Indian Contribution
Chapter 14	Art & Architecture

Ancient Indian History Notes for UPSC IAS Exam

History subject is one of the most important subject for UPSC exam. Indian history is divided in three parts – ancient history, medieval history, and modern history. In ancient history we will study about stone age, vedic age, Maurya Empire, Gupta age, Harshavardhana Empire etc.

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A brief history of modern India (Spectrum)	Get Book
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania	Get Book
Certificate Physical & Human Geography by GC Leong	Get Book
Atlas	Get Book
Indian Polity by Laxmikanth	Get Book
Indian Economy	Get Book
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History Booklist for UPSC

Below, we have mentioned all the most important books for History and we have also attached the image of all important history books for UPSC exam.

R. S. Sharma (Ancient History)
Satish Chandra (Medieval History)
Rajiv Ahir (Modern History)
NCERTs (Ancient History, Medieval History, Modern History)
Tamil Nadu History (Ancient History, Medieval History, Modern History)

r s sharma ancient history book — R. S. Sharma – Ancient History Book

satish chandra medieval history book — Satish Chandra – Medieval History Book

rajiv ahir spectrum — Rajiv Ahir – Spectrum

Ancient History Syllabus for UPSC Exam

Sources of Ancient Indian History

Greek and Latin Sources, and their reliability
Arthashastra as source
Jatakas as a Source of History
Records of Fa Xian (405-411 CE)
Travels of Xuanzang (630 to 644 CE)

ALSO READ Ancient Indian History Notes [Part 6] Magadha Empire

2. STONE AGES

Palaeolithic age (early Stone Age)
Characteristics of Paleolithic man
Important Palaeolithic Sites
Mesolithic Age – (after 8000 BC)
Important Mesolithic Sites
Neolithic Age (After 5000 BCE)
Important Neolithic sites
Transition to Pre-Harappan Phase
Bhimbetka Caves
Other Pre-Historic Caves
Megalithic Burials

3. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION (3500 BCE to 1500 BCE)

Important Pre-Harappan sites
Why is Harappa an urban civilization?
Diffusionist theory
Early Phase to Mature Phase
Sindhu Sarasvati Civilization
Indus Script
Town Planning
Agriculture
Crafts
Religion
Political Structure
Continuity of Harappa

4. Vedic Age

Early Vedic age- (ca 15th century BC to 1000 BC)
Later Vedic Age (1000 BC to 600 BC)
Society
Political Consolidation
Gana Sanghas
Challenge to orthodoxy
Varna Hierarchy
Condition of women
Sacrifices
Upanishads
Iron technology and its impact

5. Jainism and Buddhism

Reasons for rise of Jainism and Buddhism
- Political Context
- Economic Context
- Social Context
Development of Sramana Tradition
Principles of Jainism
Jaina Sangha
Principles of Buddhism
Buddhist Sangha
Councils of Buddhism
Reasons for Buddhism spread
Reasons for Buddhism decline
Buddhist concept of Varna and Jati
Growth of Mahayana Buddhism
Contributions of Buddhism
Buddhism and women
Vajrayana school- based on influence of Tantra.
Ajivikas

6. Magadha Empire

Reasons for Magadha’s success
First Invasion in India
Northern Black Polished Ware
- Village life
- Agriculture
Growth of Urban centres
- Administration
- Taxation
- Army
- Sethi/ Gahapati
Growth of trade
Alexander’s Invasion

7. MAURYA Empire

Chandragupta Maurya- (321 BCE to 297 BCE)
Megasthenes description of India
Ashoka, the Great- (273 BCE to 232 BCE)
- Ashoka’s Dhamma
- Ashoka’s inscriptions
Mauryas and forest people
Mauryan Economy
Mauryan Material culture
Mauryan Agriculture
Mines
Mauryan Trade
Reasons for decline of the empire
Shunga dynasty 187-73 BCE
Mauryan Art
Yaksha worship
Ashokan Pillars
Foreign Influence

ALSO READ Surrogacy: Regulation in India and the world | UPSC Notes

8. Post- Mauryan Period

Post- Mauryan Invasions after 2nd Century BCE
Greek Impact on India
Shakas
Parthians
Kushans
Kanishka
- Kingdom of Kanishka
Effects of Invasions
- Assimilation
- Coins
- Trade and technology
- Polity
- Religion
- Culture
- Literature
- Science
Crafts – 2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE

Growth of Merchant Guilds
Role of guilds

9. Growth of Trade

Silk Route
Trade routes
Trade with Romans
Trade with south-east
Growth of Cities

10. GUPTA EMPIRE- 4rd to 6th century CE

Pursuits of Samudragupta
Chandragupta II (380 CE – 412 CE)
Kumaragupta (412AD to 454 AD)
Skandagupta
Guptas as Golden Age
Huna Invasion
Features of Gupta Age
Difference between Mauryas and Guptas
Gupta Administration
- Admininstrative Divisions
Military administration
Revenue Administration
Judicial system
Economic Conditions
- Agriculture
- Crafts
- Guilds
- Trade
- Coins
Growth of cities
Urban history of Guptas
Gupta Society- Social Structure
Condition of women
Untouchables
Slaves

11. South-Indian kingdoms

Early South- Indian kingdoms
Sangam Literature
Pandyas
Early Cholas-
Cheras
Post- Satavahana South Indian kingdoms- (500 CE to 900 CE)
Pallavas
Pallava contribution to administration
Pallava art and architecture- Upinder 634
Chalukyas
Specialties of Chalukyan art and architecture
Chalukya art- upinder 628 Hoysala- Upinder 632
Rashtrakutas (c 753 CE)

12. Eastern Indian Kingdoms

Orissa
Bengal
Assam

13. Ancient Indian Contributions

Sanskrit Literature in Ancient Times
Science and Technology in Ancient India
- Astronomy
- Mathematics
Education in Ancient India
Coinage
Land Ownership in Ancient India
Varna vs Jati
Condition of women 6th century BCE to 2nd century AD
Condition of women in Gupta period

14. Art and Architecture

Stupas
- Sanchi Stupa
- Stupas in Andhra Pradesh
- Relief on Stupas
Cave tradition in western India
- Ajanta Caves
- Ellora caves
- Eastern India caves- Udaygiri and Khandagiri
Gandhara School of Art
Mathura School of Art
Early Hindu Temple Architecture 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE
Gupta Art and Architecture- Temple Architecture
Cave Architecture
Stupas
Sculptural Art
Paintings