chapter six of The Earth and its People
In chapter six of The Earth and its People, the book outlines how Indian civilization was founded, the expansion and collapse of imperial and Southeast Asia. India is referred to as a subcontinent due to its large size in length and breadth and encompasses the nations of Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and Srilanka. Around 1500 BCE, new groups of people (animal herding warriors who were speaking Indo-European languages) migrated into the northeast of India, laying the foundation for Indian civilization during the Vedic Age. After the collapse of Indus civilization, the region became home to kinship groups, which were patriarchal and depended mostly on herds of cattle for sustenance. There was an advance in technologies during this era, including iron tools, which increased agriculture production. Stories during this civilization were preserved by memorization and oral recitation. During Indian civilization, there was a rise in a system of caste and classes, which were linked to the concept of reincarnation and were used to regulate the interactions of people. Different religions arose during this era, including Jainism and Buddhism, however beneath all the diversity and multiplicity of Indian religion, there was ultimate unity. The political unity nevertheless did not last long with factors such as different language and cultural practices leading to political fragmentation in the area. Two empires arose; the Mauryan and the Gupta Empire, whereby each extended political control over the subcontinent, and eventually led to the formation of a universal Indian civilization. Besides, during the Gupta Empire not only fostered scholarship, science, and arts, but also both culture and commerce thrived. The book further explains that Southeast Asia was located along the trade and pilgrimage routes between China and India, which resulted in a lot of Hindu and Buddhist influence in the region. The climate was favorable in the area, which enabled it to support a lot of human population.