AP WORLD HISTORYPOD #6 – Gold, Salt & Ivory Trade In Africa

Monsoons & Trade

Class Discussion Questions

Bulliet et. al. – “Indian Ocean Trade”, pp. 379-384

Indian Ocean Trade

“When the collapse of the Mongol Empire in the fourteenth century disrupted overland routes across Central Asia, the Indian Ocean assumed greater strategic importance in tying together the peoples of Eurasia and Africa. Between 1200 and 1500, the volume of trade in the Indian Ocean increased. The Indian Ocean routes also facilitated the spread of Islam.” (Bulliet, p. 379)

Monsoon Mariners

As wealth and prosperity increased in Asia and Europe the demand for use of the Indian Ocean trade routes increased

Demand for precious metals, jewels, rare spices, fine textiles increased

Larger ships made bulk cargo shipments of cotton textiles, pepper, rice, wheat, barley, timber and horses a profitable business

The Indian Ocean Trade Network was divided into two legs: from the Middle East across the Arabian Sea to India and from India across the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia

December to March – northeast monsoon winds allowed for travel west from India to Arabia and Africa

April to August – southwest monsoon winds allowed for travel east from Arabia and Africa to India

Most travel stayed along the coasts and followed the paths of the stars, but the magnetic compass developed by the Chinese was begining to become more popular

The Ships

Dhows (Indian) – new cargo ship raised the capacity from 100 tons in 1200 to 400 tons in 1500

Junks – (Chinese) most advanced and seaworthy vessel of the time capable of carrying loads of 1,000 tons – spread Chinese culture and influence

Carvel (European) – employed a triangular sail to better sail into the wind capable of carrying from 50 to 60 tons although some could hold upwards of 160 tons

Kilwa

Swahili Coast supplied gold from inland areas of eastern Africa

Sawahil al-sudan – Arabic term for “shores of the blacks”

Kilwa will replace Mogadishu as the most important commercial center after 1331

Noted by Ibn Battuta in his travel writings to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world

Exported more than 1 ton of gold from the inland yearly

Great Zimbabwe

Peaked in power and status in 1400 Much of the gold shipped from Kilwas passed

through this territory Great stone structures were built in and around the

town, as well a wall Mixed farming and cattle herding provided the

economic basis of the kingdom Regional trade for copper, salt and other

manufactured products in the upper Zambezi River Historians speculate that the people of the Great

Zimbabwe depleted nearby forests used for firewood, and cattle overgrazed the surrounding grasslands contributed to the decline of the kingdom

Aden

Located near the southwestern tip of the Arabian peninsula

Monsoon winds brought enough rainfall to supply drinking water to a large population and grow grain for export

Location was convenient as a stop over for trade with India, the Persian Gulf, East Africa and Egypt

Traded cotton cloth and beads from India, spices from Southeast Asia, horses from Arabia and Ethiopia, pearls from the Red Sea, manufactured luxuries from Cairo, slaves, gold, and ivory from Ethiopia, and grain, opium and dyes from Aden’s own outskirts

Gujart

Western India prospered from expanding trade of the Arabian Sea and the rise of the Delhi Sultanate

Rich agricultural land, long coastline Attracted trade after the Mongol destruction of

Baghdad in 1258 disrupted the northern overland trade routes

Exported cotton textiles and indigo to the Middle East and Europe in return for gold and silver

Exported cotton cloth, carnelian beads and foodstuffs to the Swahili coast in return for ebony, slaves, ivory and gold

15th century trade expanded east towards the Strait of Malacca – helped spread Islam

Cambay & Calicut became the greatest and most prosperous urban centers representing the power of the Gujart

Malacca

The Strait of Malacca located between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra was the primary passage from the Indian Ocean into the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean

As trade increased in the 14th & 15th centuries this region became the site of political rivalry and conflict as the Kingdom of Siam and the Kingdom of Majapahit, as well as Chinese pirates, sought to control this vital trade chokepoint

Malacca secured an alliance with China allowing for control of this strategic waterway

Merchants enjoyed security and low taxes in the region Regional conversion from Hinduism to Islam began to

occur Emporium for Southeast Asian products including –

rubies, musk, tin, gold, cloves and nutmeg