2.3 Exchange in the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean Basin

Trading point in Indian Ocean, benefited South Asia

How did the spread of Islam impact Indian Ocean trade?

Connected more cities in East Africa, East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Muslim Persians and Arabs were dominant seafarers and transported goods to port cities

Calicut and Cambay

Cities in west India, traded with East Africa and Southwest Asia

How did Calicut prosper?

Became primary spot for spices, Chinese and Arab merchants were welcomed and exchanged goods, brought wealth and prosperity

What did India export?

Fabrics (cotton), carpets, high-carbon steel, tanned leather, artisan-crafted stonework, pepper

What did md Malaysia and Indonesia export?

Spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, called Spice Islands

What did Swahili coastal cities like Mombasa, Mogadishu, and Sofala export?

Slaves, ivory, gold

What did Southwest Asia export?

Horses, figs, dates

Indian Ocean slave trade

Sold to buyers in Northern Africa, Middle East, India, sometimes to islands like Madagascar, reached peak in 18th/19th centuries, worked in shipping, household servants, and as sailors or soldiers

Compare slaves in the Americas and slaves in the Indian Ocean

IO had more opportunities than in Americas, Islamic communities gave them rights

Mixing of cultures in IO slave trade

African words, musical styles, customs found in Oman, India, etc

Lateen sails

Catch winds coming from different directions, Arab sailors debated to have invented them

Stern rudder

Made ships more stable and maneuverable, Chinese sailors invented during classical period

Dhows

Used for fishing and trade, dominated post-classical era, used by Arab and Indian sailors

Astrolabe

Shows how far north/south you are from the equator, improved by Muslims in 12th century

Monsoon winds

Merchants planned voyages around them, winter: northeast winds, spring/summer: southwest winds

Malacca/Melaka

Md Malaysia, extended to Sumatra and Malay peninsula in 1400s; gained wealth by building navy and charging ships that passed through Strait of Malacca, prosperity was based on trade rather than agriculture

How did Malacca fall?

Conquered by Portuguese in 1511 -> wanted wealth, gained some wealth but caused nearby conflicts so merchants used other routes

Diaspora

Settlements of people away from homeland, people would wait for favorable winds and interact with local culture of region

How was Islam spread to South Asia using trade?

Arab and East African merchants would stay and marry in Indian port cities,brought Islam to South Asia through intermarriage, Arab and persian merchants also settled in East Africa

Muslim diaspora

Region: China, Indian Ocean Basin, Europe; products: silk, paper, porcelain, spices, gems, woods, gold, salt, amber, furs

Sogdian (Samarkand) diaspora

Region: main caravan merchants along Silk Road, China; products: silk, gold, wine, linens

Jewish diaspora

Region: China, India, Europe; products: glass beads, linens, dyes, spices

Malay diaspora

Region: Sri Lanka; products: nutmeg, pepper, cloves

Respond to increased demand

Caused trade to expand

How did trade effect states?

Needed to be more efficient with crops, textiles, iron, etc, would tax imported goods and use of seaports

How was Gujarat effected by trade?

Go-between for trade in east and west, got revenue from customs (taxes on imports), more wealthy than some European states, Rajput Kingdom in India

Swahili City-states

Means "coasters," on East coast of Africa, Kolwa, Mombasa (Kenya today), Zanzibar (Tanzania today), Zanj Coast

Zanj Coast

Sold ivory, gold, slaves, tortoise shells, peacock feathers, rhino horns to Arab merchants

Zanj Coast imports

Chinese porcelain, Indian cotton, manufactured ironwork

Indian Ocean trade brought wealth

Buildings originally made of mud, but at height of IO trade mosques and homes were made from stone/coral

Zheng He

Muslim admiral in Ming Dynasty China, 1371-1433

What were Zheng He's 7 voyages

Indonesia, Ceylon, coastal cities on Indian Ocean, Arabia, east coast of Africa, Cape of Good Hope

What were the purpose, fleet, and effects of Zheng He's voyages?

Display might of Ming Dynasty, receive tribute; 300 ships carrying 28,000 people; won presitge for Chinese government, opened new markets, showed world beyond China, inspired immigration, temporarily stopped pirates

What was the controversy of Zheng He's voyages?

Scholars thought interaction with foreign cultures threatens stability of Chinese empire, some thought other cultures were inferior, some thought voyages were too expensive, Zhu Gaozhi (son of Emperor Yongle) did not want people to sail away from China, Gaozhi made building a sail with 2 masts a punishable offense