Geographical Factors

1 Geographical Factors

2020-04-20 00:08 :49

History of mankind and environment difficult to separate
emergence of regions depended on its geographical features ex development in plains more than hilly/tribal areas
determined the socio-economic status of people ex Punjab richer than hilly region; food habits; attire which led to different cultural traditions
high rainfall during IVC period made it flourish and high standard of living, dry climate destroyed their subsistence
Magadh succeeded due to vast forests provided for fuel, elephants; Gangetic plane was fertile , proximity to iron and copper.
natural defence of political capitals like Pataliputra and Rajgir

“Nature determines the route of development, while man determines the rate and the state.”
Geographical features are not a prime mover.

Himalayan uplands - feeds rivers like Ganga, Jamuna, Brahmaputra
Northern Plains - divided into 4 sub regions land of Rajputs b/w Udaipur and Jaipur, Malwa around Ujjain, Vidarbha ie Nagpur and Chattisgarh plains known as Dakshin Kosala.
Pensinsular India has 4 major rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.

Other regional features are The Eastern, Central and Northern Himalayas
Arid regions of West viz Baluchistan
Various passes that connect the subcontinent to central Asia are Gomal, Bolan and Khyber passes
Indus plains of Punjab and Sindh
Upper, middle and lower Gangetic plains - upper plains were the center of PGW culture. - Middle ganga was home to Magadha - Lower Ganga is the Bengal region

cultural features, shared historical tradition, in language, in social organization, in art forms dev due to this
Mehrgarh, Koldihwa , Chirand and Atranjikhera : beggining of agriculture independently
Gangetic Valley : dev of towns, cities etc esp upper Gangetic valley
Chakravartin (universal emperor)
- important idea in ancient Indian political theory.
- Kautilya’s’ Arthasastra says that this was region b/w Himalayas and the sea
- Asvamedha sacrifice was performed to get this status.

Ochre-Coloured Pottery Ware (OCW) which is dated earlier than 1000 B.C.
Painted Grey Ware (PGW) between 800-400 B.C.
Black and Red Ware (BRW) which lies in between the two and
Northern Black Polished (NBPW) Ware between 500-100 B.C.; originated in middle ganga valley
Simultaneous dev of first system of coinage as trade needs inc
geographical focus of the Rig Vedic period was the Saptasindhu (land of the Indus and its tributaries) and Indo-Gangetic divide

Punjab shows both late historical transition and regional variation. No one culture took prominence here.
The gram (village), nigama (a bigger settlement where commercial exchange also took place) and nagara (town) were the usual components of the Janapada. Woods and Jungles (vana) were also parts of it
state formation in the deep south was facilitated later by Roman trade, rise of towns and penetration of northern Sanskritic (Aryan) culture along with the Brahmans
High yielding paddy cultivation - coastal tracts of Andhra during the 5th-3rd century B.C.
Deccan was dominated by the iron using megalithic cultures. Megalithic burials have produced evidence for rudimentary craft specialization, rudimentary exchange network, which transported mineral resources to the Northern Deccan status differentiation
emergence of localities seems to be significant development called Janapadas was an imp feature of time of Satavahanas.
Taxila was at peak of urbanization in the 2nd century BC. North-West, Gandhara provides a different picture of development which contrasts w/ Sindh and Baluchistan, and in the early Christian centuries personality of region shaped by different influences because of her very geographical setting

Copper mined from Khetri in Rajasthan, Singhbhum and Hazarbagh in Chottanagpur
Tin missing in IN was imported from Burma and Malaya thus distinct Bronze age was missing, some Tin mines found in Chottanagpur area
Iron from South Bihar, MP, Ktaka - helped Magadha, Avanti kingdoms to become large by clearing forests, Later Satavahanas used it
Lead obtained from Andhra P - Satavahanas used Lead coins in large nos
Silver rarely found - Mines in Munger, Kharagpur
Gold from Kolar Gold fields - later became capital of Gangas, mostly obtained from Central Asia and Roman trade