C.E. The monarchies started due to the rice farming that had begun to draw rulers, soldiers, administrators, and other specialists associated with civilized life to this area. Not only did this bring about the rise of powerful monarchies, but it also brought about the rise of cities and states in this part of India. In other areas of India such as the Indus Valley, changes in society and politics were not occurring. In southern India herding, hunting and gathering, and slash-and-burn cultivation was still supporting the small populations in that part of the country. The first empire that developed in India was the Mauryan Empire in 322 B.C.E. Chandragupta Maurya was the head of this efficient, harsh, and bureaucratic empire. .
The Indian society had its own unique social structure. It was organized into castes each having their own special customs and rules. In other countries, people were concerned with what state or kingdom they belonged to; however, in India the most important thing about a person was their caste. In the caste system, everyone was born as a Brahman, warrior, farmer and artisan, or a Sudra. Caste also involves a theory called karma, which is dust that is collected on the soul just through the process of living. Karma determined which caste you were born in to allowing everyone in the system to have a definite group with which to identify. The caste organization gave the Indian society variety and freedom for all the different groups and peoples. Therefore, the caste system was a positive thing for India, but it also had political and cultural consequences. Due to the fact that the most important thing to a person was their caste, politics and state were not as much realities as in other countries. Also, a limit was placed on the advancement and progress on the social scale. The caste structure was not used to change and liked sticking to the doing things the familiar way.