A large share of Punjab’s land was covered by the inhabitants of Indus valley civilization. The city of Harappa and Rupar were found in the sites which is part of modern day Punjab. The growth of this culturally and educationally rich civilization was initiated by the arrival of Indo-Aryans in the state. The state was under the rule of various distinguished dynasties like Nandas, Gandhara Mahajanapadas, Mauryas, Gurjara-Pratiharas Kushans, Guptas, Sungas, Palas and Hindu Shahis. During Mauryan Empire the city of Taxila was built which was a well known place for learning and scholars used to gather often at Taxila.
The political tensions of Punjab often caused bitter bloodshed and the legacy of such painstaking events was noticed from ancient times. The state was subject to various foreign invasions from Persia, Greece Afghanistan and Turkey. Horrendous invaders like Alexander the Great, Timur and Chengiz khan also invaded this land.
Mughal Empire relentlessly ruled the land of Punjab from 1524 to 1739. The bitter relation between Mughals and Sikh caused several assaults by Mughals. During the beginning of 15th century Sikhism was born and following the death of Aurangzeeb, the Sikh empire came into being. The rule of Sikh empire continued from 1801-1849. The arrival of British could not do much to annex the land of Punjab until maharaja Ranjit Singh died.
During British rule in Punjab a horrific incident took place and this was marked as one of the grievous crime of Birtish colonizers in India; the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The massacre took place in Amritsar and made the land of Punjab lose plenty of innocent lives.