question_answer

Discuss how India?s geography has had an important role in shaping its history.

Answer:

Geography has a profound effect on the history of India. It is a peninsula and is bounded by the ocean on three sides. In the north are the great mountain systems which separate it from the rest of Asia. The high mountain passes allowed the Aryans to enter India and the Arab traders to visit India since 712 CE. But in 1001 CE, the Arab armies came to invade the Indian Territory through the Khyber Pass. Later, the Huns, Turks and Mughals invaded India. Each invasion brought in foreigners who brought with them their customs and culture and had an impact on the Indian culture. Also, these passes allowed links with China and Tibet, and Buddhism spread to these two countries, India's two great river systems, the Indus and the Ganges, have also played a role in shaping the history. The Harappan Civilization came up near the river Indus. The navigability of these rivers helped trade and commerce. The Himalayas have helped the northern plains to become more fertile by bringing enough rainfall. Cities came up where there were geographical advantages. Great cities like Prayag and Kanauj came up in the northern plains. Many wars were fought between kings to acquire the fertile lands near rivers. Towards the south of the northern plains lie the Vindhya Mountains. These prevented the invaders from getting access to the Deccan plateau which lies towards the south of these mountains. The Deccan Plateau has non-perennial river systems. Scarcity of water led to the development of irrigation systems. The long coastline led to the rise of numerous ports which facilitated commerce.