India has been home to a rich tapestry of peoples and cultures. Two of the world's great religions have their origins in South Asia, and the lands east of the Indus River have long been a central hub for trade, migration, and cultural exchange. Today the subcontinent contains 20 percent of the world's population and is a thriving center for global business. Go inside this thrilling story with A History of India, a breathtaking survey of South Asia from its earliest societies along the Indus and Ganges rivers through the modern challenges of the 21st century. These 36 sweeping lectures enable you to understand the epic scope of the subcontinent's history. In this wide-ranging investigation, you'll meet the many religious communities that have coexisted in India. Delve into the legacies of the Mauryan Empire, the Mughal Empire, and British colonialism, three of the few governments that ever unified the subcontinent. Witness the fight for independence from European powers and the partition of the region into the countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. And consider the challenges and opportunities faced by this area today, from expanding urbanization to the ongoing, heated debates about national identity. Professor Fisher, who has traveled and taught in South Asia, reveals this complex narrative with skill and compelling insights. By the end, you will understand the full scope of the region and its cultures, across time and today.
Live Online Classes in Design, Coding & AI — Small Classes, Free Retakes
AI Product Manager: Plan, Prioritize, and Pitch AI Products
Overview
Google, IBM & Meta Certificates – 40% Off
One Coursera Plus subscription covers most Professional Certificates on Coursera.
Unlock All Certificates
Syllabus
- Earliest History of the Indian Subcontinent
- Migration and the Adivasi
- Indus Valley Civilization
- Indo-European Vedic Culture
- Caste: Varna and Jati
- Epic Literature: Ramayana
- Epic History: Mahabharata
- Dharma in the Bhagavad Gita
- The Origins and Rise of Jainism
- The Origins and Rise of Buddhism
- The Mauryan Empire
- Ashoka's Imperial Buddhism
- Deccani and Southern States
- Northwest and North India
- Brahmanic Synthesis
- Indian Parsis, Jews, and Christians
- Islam Comes to India
- Indian Sultans
- The Early Mughal Empire
- The Reign of Emperor Akbar
- Later Mughal Emperors
- The Mughals and the Marathas
- Competing European Empires
- The British East India Company
- The Issues and Events of 1857
- The British Raj and Early Nationalism
- India and Indians in the World
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Nationalists Ambedkar, Bose, and Jinnah
- The Partition of 1947
- West and East Pakistan
- The New Pakistan
- Independent Bangladesh
- India under Nehru
- Modernizing India
- South Asia into the 21st Century
Taught by
Michael H. Fisher