Indian_Subcontinent_Influence_Early_Civilization_There

How did the geography of the Indian subcontinent influence the development of civilization there' India’s large land mass, natural water supply and mountains attributed to the geography necessary for the development of early civilizations of Ancient India. The subcontinent is isolated on three sides by oceans/seas and the Himalayan Mountain range to the north, allowing for protection. The Himalayas, along with various other mountain ranges, give way to vast rivers and valleys and extend further into plains and deserts to the most southern regions of the area. These characteristics provided the essentials for development of agriculture and trade for growth of the pastoral people into establishing cities and civilization. The Himalayas, which mean ‘home of snow’ in Sanskrit, are the highest mountain range in the world. These mountains provided the pastoral people of central Asia many important elements in their settlement. Their size and location aided in protection from invasion. The snow melt in the spring provided an abundance of water, allowing for irrigation and provided the silt needed for fertile soil to enhance agricultural development. In addition, the mountains helped shield the citizens from the winter monsoons from the Northeast. The subcontinent of India has several mountain ranges, all providing important geography aspects; however, the Himalayas were likely the most influential. The great rivers of the Indus Valley, the Ganges and the Indus, rising from the Himalayas as mentioned before, were also essential to allow these pastoral people the means necessary to maintain their livestock (and domestication) and grow their crops. This rich environment led to an abundance of agriculture for trade, which was facilitated with the use of the rivers through the valleys and the plains. The oceans also were an important factor in the development of early civilization. They provided both a barrier of protection and a means for transportation, facilitating the growth of cities and trade. Other elements, such as the plains, plateaus and the deserts (to the south) also played a role in the development of Ancient India. The plains allowed for ease of building, the plateaus provided ridges for protection from flooding and invasion, along with forest for agriculture and textiles. The desert also provided a means of protection from invasion of tribes from the south. The diverse geographical features of Ancient India allowed for the “perfect storm”, providing the once nomadic Indo-Europeans of central Asia, to migrate and develop into early civilizations which rival in population to the size of the subcontinent itself. The existence of these early civilizations, such as the Harapans and the Aryans, with their reign over 1000 years (2500 BCE -1200BCE) gives proof to its contribution.