Geography & Early Settlement of India
Setting the Stage - Ancient India
To the northeast of Africa lies the enormous continent of Asia. The south central part of Asia is known as the
Indian subcontinent, which includes the country of India. Present-day India is a nation whose beginnings
stretch back into the distant mists of time. When historians talk about ancient India, however, they are
referring to the entire Indian subcontinent, not present-day
India. Other present-day countries located on the Indian
subcontinent include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan,
and the island nation of Sri Lanka.
The ancient civilization that developed on the Indian
subcontinent was greatly influenced by the physical
geography of the region. Look at the map on the opposite
page. Notice the Himalayan mountain range. These towering
peaks are the highest mountains in the world. They formed a
natural barrier between ancient India and the rest of Asia. To
the south, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of
Bengal prevented contact with other people. This isolation
meant that civilizations developed on the Indian subcontinent
without outside influences and had their own unique cultures.
Look again at the map and find the Indus River. It begins high
in the Himalayas and eventually empties into the Arabian Sea. Like other river valleys you have studied, the
Indus River valley was the site of some early settlements, including Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Other rivers,
like the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, also were home to early farming villages. These rivers provided the
water and rich soil that allowed ancient cultures to grow and prosper.
In time, two ancient empires arose in India. As the maps below show, the Mauryan Empire was the first to
develop, and the Gupta Empire was the second.
Two major religions have roots in ancient India. They are Hinduism and Buddhism. As you study this unit,
you will learn about the development and beliefs of these two faiths. You will also study the achievements of
the Mauryan and the Gupta empires.
Section 1 - Introduction
In this unit, you will learn about the civilization
of ancient India. First, in this chapter, you will
explore the geography of the area, including its
rivers, mountains, plains, plateaus, deserts, and
valleys. These physical features influenced
where ancient India’s civilization arose.
Early towns began to appear in India in about
2500 B.C.E. Over the next 2,000 years, a
unique civilization developed in India.
According to an ancient Indian story, a river god and a river goddess once lived in the snow-covered
Himalayas (him-uh-LAY-uhz), a mountain range extending through northern India. One day, the two decided
to race down the mountains to the plains below. The river goddess sped straight down and won the race. But
her joy soon turned to worry. Where was the river god?
The river god had slowed down to admire the snowcapped mountains and the rich
brown earth in the valleys. In time, he flowed down to meet his goddess. The two
rivers became one, joined forever on India’s plains. The rivers made the land good for
farming.
In this chapter, you will learn about India’s rivers and other physical features. You’ll
explore eight key features and their effects on the settlement of ancient India.