In many countries, such as India and Greece, the environment plays a major role in making a living. And in turn, production greatly influences the formation of cultures that can be very similar and different. The development of intensive crop agriculture, the development of cities and city states, religion, social structure, maritime and commercial production, and early formation of kingdoms and empires are some things that can be closely compared or contrasted. .
The environment of India has been essential to its production. The geography varies in different parts of the country. The lower Indus Valley is a desert; however, to the south and east of this region, there is increased rainfall. Eastern and southern India depends greatly on the monsoon, which in the summer brings heavy rainfall helping to support the natural vegetation in that area of the country. Not only does India depend on the monsoon, but also on the Indus River. It floods yearly helping to fertilize the soil in the Indus River Valley, which leads to different types of production in India. It made an excellent place for farmers to grow crops. They had an irrigation-based agriculture, which brought water to the farms. They domesticated rice, wheat, and barley, and not only were crops domesticated, but animals such as pigs, horses, and camels were also. In the Ganges Valley, rice became the staple crop rather than wheat and barley. This was possible because the Ganges floodplain was flat and very wet, and the land was suitable for rice cultivation, which required irrigation and elaborate preparation of the ground. Because of the fertile soil perfect for farming, the people in India were known for their widespread trade, and for their wonderful crops. .
The production that took place in India led to the formation of culture throughout the country. Large, centralized monarchies began to rise in the Ganges Valley about 800 B.