India is a land of great diversity and acceptance. Over the hundreds of years many different people have ruled her. From Alexander the Great to the Guptas which in time India was conquered by the Muslim Arabs, and later the British Imperialists. India's rich history is shaped by many different factors: different beliefs, environmental impact, governmental structure and laws, conflicts and cooperation, and other forces.
India is literally a melting pot of different religions. They have all shaped the different cultures of India and also made the Indians adapt to new ways of life. One of the earliest religions after Hinduism in India is Buddhism. Buddhism had many followers because of its peaceful teachings and the way to break out of the cycle of reincarnation. Buddhism started to decline when many of the followers switched back to Hinduism because it was easier. Soon most of the teachings of Buddhism became a part of Hinduism. Islam brought most of the change to India. Many left Hinduism because of the strict code of the caste system because in Islam all were thought of as equal. Many of the Hindu traditions were stopped in Islam but some still were allowed. At one point the Sultan Akbar of India who was a liberal king established a religion Din E Elahi, which included in it, beliefs from different religions. All of these different religions all contributed to the diversity of India. .
The environment has played a major role in India. India is surrounded by many different mountain chains, which protects in from invaders. It borders an ocean, which gives transportation and opens trade with other countries. The monsoons help irrigate the land which provides most of India's food supply. .
The government structure of India has gone through many phases throughout history. Much of India was ruled by kings who claimed full authority or set provisional governments throughout India. In British Imperialism India had a Viceroy who ruled over India.