Major Requirement: History of Asia, Period prior to 1500
This course explores India from the era of the Indus civilization through the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707 CE. Topics include the Harappa culture, Aryan migrations and emergence of Hinduism, Gangetic culture and rise of the Mauryan and Gupta empires, Islamic invasions and creation of the Delhi sultanate, and the Vijayanagar Empire. The course concludes with a close examination of the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire, one of the world’s greatest empires. Considerable attention will also be devoted to religious, social, and cultural developments, including the evolution of Hinduism, the caste system, Islamic culture in India, religious reform movements, and architecture. (Course offered in alternate years.)