Mughal Empire Lesson

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Expansion, Exploration, and Encounters

Lesson 1
The Mughal Empire in India

Key Terms and People
Babur founder of the Mughal Empire
Mughal name of the empire on the Indian subcontinent founded by Babur
Akbar Mughal emperor with a genius for cultural blending, military conquest, and
art; he ruled from 1556 to 1605
Sikh member of a religious group that became the enemy of the Mughals
Shah Jahan Mughal emperor who built Taj Mahal; he ruled from 1628 to 1658
Taj Mahal magnificent tomb built by Shah Jahan for his wife
Aurangzeb last important Mughal emperor, 1658–1707; he expanded the empire
but also weakened it
Shivaji Indian warrior king and founder of the Hindu community called Marathas
Before You Read

In the last lesson, you read about political and social unrest in
Europe following the Protestant and Catholic Reformations.
In this lesson, you will read about the establishment of the Mughal
Empire in what is now India.
As You Read
Use a chart to identify the Mughal emperors and their successes.
EARLY HISTORY OF THE MUGHALS Hindus in their area as conquered

How did the Mughal Empire begin? peoples. Their rule was brought to an
Following the Gupta Empire in the end in 1398.
late 400s, India went through a long, A little over a hundred years later, a
unsettled period. Nomads from central new leader named Babur raised an army
Asia invaded the area and created many and began to win large parts of India.
small kingdoms. In the 700s, Muslims He was an excellent general. His empire
arrived on the scene. This began a long was called the Mughal Empire because
history of fighting with the Hindus who he and his families were related to the
had lived in India for centuries. Mongols.
After about 300 years, a group of 1. Who was Babur?
Muslim Turks conquered a region
around the city of Delhi. They set up a
new empire there. They treated the
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
220 Guided Reading Workbook

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Lesson 1, continued
AKBAR’S GOLDEN AGE empire. During his reign, the real power
Who was Akbar? was his wife, Nur Jahan. She had a
Babur’s grandson was Akbar. His bitter political battle with the Sikhs,
name means “Great.” He ruled with members of a separate religion based on
great wisdom and fairness for almost equality among all people.
40 years. The next Mughal ruler was Shah
Akbar was a Muslim. However, he Jahan. He too chose not to follow
believed strongly that people should be Akbar’s policy of religious toleration.
allowed to follow the religion they Shah Jahan was a great patron of the
choose. Both Hindus and Muslims arts and built many beautiful buildings.
worked in the government. He hired One was the famous Taj Mahal, a tomb
people in his government based on their for his wife. His ambitious building
ability. plans required high taxes, though.
Akbar ruled fairly. He ended the tax People suffered under his rule.
that Hindu pilgrims and all non- His son Aurangzeb ruled for almost
Muslims had to pay. To raise money, he 50 years. He was a devout Muslim, and
taxed people on a percentage of the he punished Hindus and destroyed their
food they grew. This made it easier for temples. This led to a rebellion that took
peasants to pay the tax. part of his empire. Shivaji was an
He had a strong, well-equipped army important leader of the Hindu
that helped him win and keep control of community called Marathas, which set
more lands. His empire held about 100 up their own state in southwest India.
million people—more than lived in all At the same time, the Sikhs won control
of Europe at the time. of a part of the empire in the northwest.
During Akbar’s reign, his policy of Aurangzeb used up the empire’s
blending different cultures produced two resources. People did not feel loyalty to
new languages. One was Hindi, which is him. As the power of the state
widely spoken in India today. The other weakened, the power of local lords grew.
was Urdu. It is now the official language Soon there was only a patchwork of
of Pakistan. The empire became famous independent states. There continued to
for its art, literature, and architecture. be a Mughal emperor, but he was only a
He also sponsored the building of a new figurehead, not a ruler with any real
capital city. power.
2. What are some examples of Akbar’s As the Mughal empire was rising and
policy of fair rule? falling, Western traders were building
power. Aurangzeb handed them the port
of Bombay. This gave India’s next
conquerors a foothold in India.
3. How did Aurangzeb deal with
Hindus?
AKBAR’S SUCCESSORS; THE
EMPIRE’S DECLINE AND DECAY
Who ruled after Akbar?
After Akbar’s death in 1605, his son
Jahangir took control of the Mughal

Name _____________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________
Lesson 1, continued
As you read about the Mughal Empire, make notes in the chart to
describe the outcome of each action listed.
1. Babur leads troops to victories over

an army led by the sultan of Delhi
and the Rajput army.
2. Akbar governs through a

bureaucracy of officials in which
natives and foreigners, both Hindus
and Muslims, can rise to high office.
3. Akbar prohibits inheritance of land

granted to bureaucrats.
4. Akbar appoints Rajputs as officers in

Mughal army.
5. Akbar practices cultural blending.
6. The Sikhs defend Khusrau in his

rebellion against his father, Jahangir.
7. Shah Jahan orders the building of

the Taj Mahal.
8. Aurangzeb strictly enforces lslamic

laws and reinstates tax on non-
Muslims.
9. Aurangzeb dies.

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Name _________________ Class Date_

Expansion, Exploration, and Encounters

The Mughal Empire in India

Before You Read

EARLY HISTORY OF THE MUGHALS Hindus in their area as conquered

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

220 Guided Reading Workbook

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

221 Guided Reading Workbook

1. Babur leads troops to victories over

2. Akbar governs through a

3. Akbar prohibits inheritance of land

4. Akbar appoints Rajputs as officers in

5. Akbar practices cultural blending.

6. The Sikhs defend Khusrau in his

7. Shah Jahan orders the building of

8. Aurangzeb strictly enforces lslamic

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

222 Guided Reading Workbook

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