NOTE: THIS MAY POSSIBLY NOT BE THE FINAL DRAFT. I MAY HAVE LOST THAT.

India: Its Ancient History, Its Geography, and
Where it is Today

            India is a subcontinent in Asia bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China to the north, and Bangladesh to the east.  Its geographical points of interest include the Great Indian Desert, the Rann of Kutch, the Vindhya Mountains, the Deccan Plateau, the Western Ghats, and the Eastern Ghats.  Its bodies of water include the Arabian Sea, the Coromandel Coast, the Ganges Delta, and the Bay of Bengal.  Its elevation varied from 0 meters up to 3,050!
            Its ancient history is amazing.  For around 1,000 years, from 2,500 BCE to 1,500 BCE, a civilization flourished in the Indus Valley.  It spread from northeast India to much of East Pakistan.  The Indus River, which was fed by melted snow from Himalayas, ran through the valley and brought a clean, irrigated water source.  When the river overflowed, the water left fine-grained soil called silt, which allowed great farming in the area.  The monsoons, or seasonal winds, brought plenty of rain in the summer, and dry weather in the winter when the winds reverse.
            The cities that ranged across the Indus Valley were well-planned and very similar to one another.  The streets were well-paved, the buildings were sturdy, and they even had a sewer system.  The fact that everything was so organized and similar suggests that there was a central government controlling the entire area.
According to ancient Mesopotamian writings, the Indus valley traded not only with their own cities, but also with Mesopotamia, which supports the theory that they had widespread trade.  Beads, bone inlays, and seals from the Indus Valley have been found in Mesopotamia, which supports this thesis.  Cube-shaped stone weights used by merchants also give further proof; their sizes ranged from small enough to weigh small gold flakes, to being so large they had to be hoisted with ropes!
Many of the houses in the city were very large.  Historians believe that the second floors of the larger houses were used for bedrooms, due to it being colder at night.  The clothing on statues, and scraps of cotton cloth, makes many archaeologists believe both men and women wore colorful garments.  The pottery coming from the ruins of the cities was of a very high quality, which makes us thinks that many talented potters lived back then.  The city bath was near the center, suggesting that it was a part of their religious life.
            Then, all of a sudden, the civilization just vanished – historians believe that an earthquake caused large floods.  Human skeletons were found crowded together, which supports the natural disaster theory.  Over time, archaeologists have found evidence that supports the theory that this ancient civilization was one of the largest in ancient times.
             By 1856, most of India was under control of England, with the capital of Calcutta.  One year later, a rebellion was formed, although it failed; in the end, India was completely under the control of Britain.  Independence would be a long ways off for this country.
            In the early 20th century, civil rights leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru would end up bringing the country to freedom with ahisma,  a total  non-violent form of protest.  Civil disobedience, protest marches, and fasting were some of the techniques used in the road to independence..  Their efforts paid off on August 15, 1947 when the British left and they won their country back.
            Their government symbols are:

Flag:
Emblem:
Their anthem is “Jana Gana Mana” meaning “Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,” their animal is the Royal Bengal Tiger, their bird is the Indian Peacock, their flower is the Lotus, and their national sport is Field Hockey.
            Their government is the world’s largest liberal democracy.  Their federation is a union of 28 states and 7 territories.  They have three branches of government similar to ours:  the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary for both the country and the state.  The prime minister is elected by legislators of the political party having the majority vote, and serves for five years.
            As of 2006, the population is around 1.19 billion; many of them live on the streets selling fruit for a living.  Hinduism is the most widely practiced religion in India, followed by Islamic and Christianity.  Hindi is the official language of the country, although English is still widely used throughout government and education due to original influence from the British colonization.  An additional 21 other languages are officially recognized by the country, because of diverse culture.
            In addition to field hockey, other popular sports include cricket, football (soccer to us), tennis, and chess.  Three national holidays, Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti are in observed.  Republic Day occurs on January 26th, this is the anniversary of the Constitution of India.  Independence Day occurs on August 15th, and celebrates the day in 1947 when they gained independence from the British Empire.  The second of October is when the country celebrates Gandhi Jayanti, the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi.
            Someplace I would want to visit would be the Taj Mahal.  It is a burial place for Emperor Jahan’s favorite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum.  It was constructed between 1631 and 1654 by a workforce of over 20,000 people.  Although not a sacred site, it is considered a place for worship.
            Culture in India is large and varied; many different customs, languages and monuments are found there.  Popular music forms are carnatic from South India, and Hindustani from North India; in addition, there is also folk music.  Many forms of dancing, including Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, and Manipuri are integrated into religion.
 A shot of the Taj Maha