SSC GD History Notes

AI Summary (Quick Overview)

• What is this? This is a complete, simple guide for SSC GD History Notes designed for the 2026 exam.
• Syllabus Covered: Ancient India (Indus Valley, Vedas), Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Mughals), and Modern India (Gandhi Era, Freedom Struggle).
• Special Feature: We have included “Memory Tricks” to help you remember dates and kings easily.
• Bonus: A direct link to download the SSC GD History Notes PDF is available at the bottom.

Why are SSC GD History Notes Important?

Are you preparing for the SSC GD Constable exam? If yes, then History is one of the most scoring subjects for you. Every year, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) asks 3 to 4 questions from History in the General Knowledge (GK) section.

If you read these SSC GD History Notes carefully, you can easily secure 6 to 8 marks. Many students skip history because they think it is boring or too difficult to remember. But don’t worry! We have written this post in very simple English . We will not just give you dates; we will tell you the story of India.

In this post, we will cover:

1. Ancient History (The Old Times)
2. Medieval History (Kings and Sultans)
3. Modern History (The Freedom Struggle)
4. Magic Tricks to Remember Dates

Let’s start your journey to success!

Download SSC GD History Notes PDF

We know you want to revise these notes offline on your mobile. We have created a high-quality PDF file of these SSC GD History Notes. It contains all the theory plus 50+ Previous Year Questions.

Part 1: Ancient History Notes (The Old Times)

Ancient history is about the time when early humans started living in cities. For SSC GD History Notes, you only need to focus on main topics.

1. Indus Valley Civilization (The First Cities)

Imagine a time 4500 years ago when people in India were already living in brick houses with bathrooms! This was the Indus Valley Civilization.

• Harappa: This was the first city discovered by Dayaram Sahni in 1921.
• Mohenjo-Daro: This name means “Mound of the Dead”. It is famous for a big swimming pool called the Great Bath and a statue of a Dancing Girl.
• Lothal: This was a port city in Gujarat where ships used to come. It had a dockyard.
• Kalibangan: This place in Rajasthan is famous for “Black Bangles”.
• Fun Fact: These people did not know about Iron or Lions. They used Copper and Bronze.

2. The Vedic Period (Age of Books)

After the city people, the Aryans came. They wrote holy books called Vedas.

• Rigveda: The oldest book in the world. It contains the famous Gayatri Mantra.
• Samaveda: This book is about Music.
• Yajurveda: This book is about Rituals and Yagyas.
• Atharvaveda: This book contains spells for magic and medicine.
• Satyameva Jayate: This famous national slogan means “Truth Always Wins”. It is taken from a book called Mundaka Upanishad.

3. Buddhism and Jainism

Two great teachers changed how people thought.

• Gautam Buddha:
  • Birth: Lumbini (Nepal).
  • First Speech: Sarnath (This event is called Dharmachakra Pravartana).
  • Death: Kushinagar.
• Mahavira: He was the 24th teacher (Tirthankara) of Jainism. He taught non-violence (Ahimsa).

4. The Mauryan Empire (The First Big Empire)

• Chandragupta Maurya: He defeated the Greeks and started this empire with the help of Chanakya (Kautilya). Chanakya wrote a famous book on politics called Arthashastra.
• Ashoka: He was a very powerful king. In 261 BC, he fought the Kalinga War. After seeing thousands of dead people, his heart changed. He decided to stop fighting and became a Buddhist. He is the only king in history who gave up war after winning.

5. The Gupta Empire (The Golden Age)

• Samudragupta: He is called the “Napoleon of India” because he was a great warrior who never lost a battle.
• Chandragupta II: During his rule, a Chinese traveler named Fa-Hien visited India.
• Aryabhata: The great mathematician who invented “Zero” lived during this time.

Part 2: Medieval History Notes (Kings and Sultans)

This part of SSC GD History Notes is about the time when kings from outside came and ruled India.

1. The Delhi Sultanate (1206 – 1526)

Five families ruled Delhi one after another. Here is a Trick to remember them: “Gul Khile To Saans Lo”

• Gul (Ghulam/Slave Dynasty): Started by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. He started building the Qutub Minar in Delhi.
• Khile (Khilji Dynasty): Alauddin Khilji was the most powerful. He controlled market prices so food was cheap for soldiers.
• To (Tughlaq Dynasty): Muhammad bin Tughlaq is called the “Wise Fool”. He shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, which was a big failure.
• Saans (Sayyid Dynasty): Not very important for SSC GD.
• Lo (Lodi Dynasty): Ibrahim Lodi was the last king. He was defeated by Babur.

2. The Mughal Empire

• Babur: He came from Central Asia. He fought the First Battle of Panipat (1526) and defeated Ibrahim Lodi. This started the Mughal rule.
• Akbar: He became king at age 13. He was very famous because he treated Hindus and Muslims equally. He started a new religion called Din-i-Ilahi.
• Shah Jahan: The “Builder King”. He built the Taj Mahal (Agra), Red Fort (Delhi), and Jama Masjid.
• Aurangzeb: He was a strict king. He was called “Zinda Pir” (Living Saint). He re-imposed the Jizya tax on non-Muslims.

3. The Marathas

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: He was a brave warrior who fought against Aurangzeb. He used Guerrilla Warfare (hiding in mountains and attacking suddenly). He was crowned in 1674 at Raigad.

Part 3: Modern History Notes (The Freedom Struggle)

Note: This is the most important section. 70% of history questions in SSC GD come from here. Read this carefully!

1. The Revolt of 1857

This was the first time Indians fought together against the British. It is called the “First War of Independence”.

• Mangal Pandey: He started the revolt in Barrackpore by refusing to use greased cartridges.
• Rani Laxmibai: The brave queen of Jhansi who fought till her last breath.
• Bahadur Shah Zafar: The last Mughal Emperor who led the revolt in Delhi.

2. Indian National Congress (INC)

• Formed in 1885 by a British officer named A.O. Hume.
• The first President was W.C. Banerjee.
• The first meeting was held in Bombay (Mumbai).

3. The Gandhi Era (1915 – 1947)

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915 (We celebrate this as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas).

• 1917 (Champaran): Gandhi Ji’s first victory for Indigo farmers in Bihar.
• 1919 (Jallianwala Bagh): On April 13, General Dyer ordered his troops to fire on innocent people in Amritsar. It was a black day.
• 1920 (Non-Cooperation Movement): Gandhi Ji said, “Stop helping the British.” But in 1922, after the Chauri Chaura incident (where a police station was burnt), he stopped the movement.
• 1930 (Dandi March): Gandhi Ji walked from Sabarmati to Dandi to make salt. This was the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• 1942 (Quit India Movement): Gandhi Ji gave the famous slogan “Do or Die” (Karo ya Maro). This was the final push.

4. Important Slogans by Freedom Fighters

• “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom” – Subhash Chandra Bose
• “Inquilab Zindabad” – Bhagat Singh
• “Swaraj is my birthright” – Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” – Lal Bahadur Shastri

Important Battles List for SSC GD

Memorize this table. One question from SSC GD History Notes always comes from battles.

Year	Battle Name	Who Won?
1191	1st Battle of Tarain	Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Ghori
1192	2nd Battle of Tarain	Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan
1526	1st Battle of Panipat	Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi
1527	Battle of Khanwa	Babur defeated Rana Sanga
1556	2nd Battle of Panipat	Akbar defeated Hemu
1576	Battle of Haldighati	Akbar defeated Maharana Pratap
1757	Battle of Plassey	British defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah
1764	Battle of Buxar	British established strong rule

How to Remember History? (Secret Tricks)

Many students forget dates. Here are some tips from toppers:

1. Make a Movie in Your Head: Don’t just read. Imagine Gandhi Ji walking in Dandi with a stick. Imagine Akbar riding a horse. Visualizing helps you remember better.
2. Focus on the “Why”: Don’t just memorize “1857”. Ask why it happened? (Because of the greased cartridges). Understanding the reason makes it easy.
3. Use Mnemonics:
   • To remember Mughal Kings in order: BHAJSA
     • B – Babur
     • H – Humayun
     • A – Akbar
     • J – Jahangir
     • S – Shah Jahan
     • A – Aurangzeb

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

We hope these SSC GD History Notes help you in your preparation. Remember, History is not just about dates; it is about the struggles of our ancestors. Read it with interest, and you will surely score full marks.

All the best for your SSC GD 2026 Exam! For more SSC GD History Notes visit Universityscope.com