India has an incredibly long history that reaches back to the beginning of human civilization. Artifacts from 500,000 years ago have been found there. From the emergence of Hinduism during the Vedic period (1750-500 BCE) to the impressive art and architecture created during the Mughal Dynasty (early 16th century to the mid-18th century) to British rule (1858 to 1947) to present-day independence, India has a rich and fascinating history that could take a lifetime to study and understand.