Geography Influence On Civilizations

Every civilization throughout history has their ups and downs. What if these ups and downs could all be connected back to one main factor, to one influence? Throughout history, it can be noticed that the location of a civilization affects the shape of its culture, economy, trade, and security of its borders. It defines which societies rise to power and which lose power. Geography influences history in many ways, as can be seen in the Indus Valley, Greece, and Aksum civilizations. The Indus Valley built large mud walls and drainage systems to lessen the effects of massive flooding. In Greece, many wars occurred between city states due to the differences in culture caused by separation by mountain ranges. In Aksum, they utilized their access to different bodies of water to become the head of trade. Each of these civilizations utilized their geography and its advantages, but also eventually fell victim to its disadvantages.

The Indus Valley had many geographical features that were both beneficial and problematic, and these affected the way that the society was shaped. Two main geographical features were the Ganges and Indus River. These rivers made soil fertile, which allowed for agriculture. Crops like fruits, vegetable, cotton, wheat, and rice were able to be grown and harvested. This gave the Indus a good food supply, and items for trade. However, the rivers in the Indus valley commonly changed course, more often in times of flooding. This made them unreliable. Rivers