Meghalaya is inhabited by three tribal group namely the Khasis , the Jaintias and the Garos. The Khasis reside in the centre of the state , the Jaintias in the east and the Garos in the West. Khasis , Jaintias, Bhois, Wars, collectively known as the Hynniewtrep people, are of Austro Monkhmer race and Garos who prefer to call themselves as Achiks are of the Tibeto-Burman race. According to scholars, the Hynniewtrep (Seven huts) people are known to be the earliest settlers in the undivided state of Assam and one of the earliest ethnic group of settlers in the Indian sub-continent. The origin of Khasis is controversial. Though the Khasi have been living in their present abode for many centuries , there exists a general belief that they are migrants.

Some scholars say that as Khasis were politically connected to the Burmans, they were migrants from there. Others say they have migrated from the north and some say they came from Sylhet (a push factor compelling them to migrate due to the floods) . There is also a saying that Khasis have lost all written records during the floods. Khasis had no written records before the advent of the Welsh Missionaries. There is a hypothesis that Khasis were the first Mongolite overflow to India who established themselves at the present habitat at a very early period of global migration and maintained their independence through their isolation . There was a tendency amongst the Khasis to divide themselves into smaller communities under one head . They would conquer smaller communities and absorb them and again disintegrate themselves. There were no records of Khasis owing allegiance to a single prince; they split up into separate and smaller units. Jaintias , a term for Pnar or Syntengs, belong to the land of 12 dolois .

The early history of the people of Jaintia are obscure and reference is made in the cronicles of Ahom rule by inscription in coins, copper plates and buildings. 5 There is hardly any difference between the inhabitants of Khasi and Jaintia as they look alike and speak a common language. The dialiet was said to have been spoken by the earliest Mongolic invaders of India. The Jaintias preserved their list of kings. Dhan Manik being the 7th king reigned in the 16th centuary. Each king ruled for a period of sixteen years. It is well established that the inhabitants of Jaintia hills had already formed a state by 1500 AD. All the kings bear Hindu names. Their reference is there in the inscriptions from the Ahom rule. The first reference to the inhabitants of Khasis and Jaintias in the record of other states were made in the middle of 16th century during the reign of Nor-Narayan when the Koches defeated the Jaintias. History records Jaintias being defeated by the Kacharies in the 17th century. The Jaintia king married a Kotch princess . A war broke out with the Ahoms in 1618 AD. The Ahoms invaded the Jaintias during the reign of Rudra Singha . The kingdom was returned to Jay Narayan Borgohain (1708-29) who ruled for 40 years. He was succeeded by Chatra Singh who came into collision with the British in 1770 & 1734. The kingdom was said to have been conquered by the British force under Major Henniker but was restored on payment of fine. Chatra Singh was succeeded by Jatra Narayan in 1781, who was succeeded by Bijay Narayan in 1786. Ram Singh II succeeded the latter in 1786. In 1824 , Burmese tried to invade Jaintia Kingdom, but they preferred to compromise when David Scot tried to Negotiate forbidding Burmese to enter Jaintia territory. Ram Singh II was succeeded by Rajendra Singh in 1832.

In 1835 British annexed Jaintia Kingdom . The British started annexing the hills one after another. The Garos belonging to the Bodo-Tebeto- Burman stock is said to here migrated to Meghalaya 400 years back from the Cooch territory of Cooch-Bihar . 6 Coming of British led to many political and administrative changes in the state. Cherrapunji was made the headquarter and a political agent was stationed there. In Jaintia hills , each of the twelve Dolois was allowed.to rule over an Eleka. The chief was permitted to use the title of a Raja. Khasi hills were devided into sixteen territories (Hima) ruled by a chief. The Garo hills were controlled socially by Nokma and his .council of elders. The Garo hills were subdivided into 60 villages and were under a Laskar. His duty was collection of taxes, settlement of disputes according to the customary laws of Garos. All the three hill districts resisted the British entry into their states but were suppressed. The sepoys recruited by the British belonged to the plain areas and they treated the hill people as aliens. The chiefs failed to unite the already segmented groups . The British took advantage of the situation and punished the chiefs. The humid climate of Cherrapunji did not suit the British who later shifted their headquarters to Shillong. In 1874 Shillong was made the capital of Assam province and in 1905 Shillong was made the summer headquarter of United Province of East Bengal and Assam. In 1910 Municipal act was introduced and the office of the Deputy Commissioner was created. His role included collection of taxes, selection of chiefs and ownership of mines. The Khasi National Darbar become the most important political party in 1923. This was constituted by all chiefs of the state. The major aim was codification of customary laws, in which they failed. Rev J. J. M. Nicholas, the founder became a member of the Governor’s council. There was a rift in the Khasi National Darbar which led to the formation of Khasi Jaintia youngman’s association which challanged the Zamindary system of the Syiems (chiefs) . Memorandum was submitted to Simon Commission seeking representation in future legislation. 7 In 1937 , Congress Khasi Hills committee came into being alongwith Federation of Khasi states which sought recognition at the chamber of Princess. In 1946, Khasi-Jaintia political Association approached the Cabinet Mission demanding the Federation of Khasi states within Assam with cultural and political autonomy. This was opposed by the Hill Union demanding a separate hill state. The Khasi-Jaintia Federation advocated for a District Council. The Garo National Conference also demanded an autonomous district. The Governor of Assam, Akbar Hydari got the Khasi states to sign an agreement with the centre. by 9th Aug 1947 for formal accession. Sardar Patel visited Shillong in 1948. Nicholas Roy asked the Darbar to accept the 6th Schedule to the Indian constitution drafted by Bordoloi committee. This provided local autonomy under District Council for former “ Excluded area” including Khasi and Jaintia Hills. An ammendment was made to constituent assembly to unite two hill district outside Assam. On Jan 26,1950 United Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills became a part of Assam Province and Indian Union. Meghalaya was declared as an autonomous state within Assam in 1970. With the 3 districts governed under 6th schedule, Meghalaya became a full fledged state in 1972.