Chapter 3: India and the Indian Ocean Basin - Flashcards

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A set of QUESTION_AND_ANSWER style flashcards covering core concepts from Chapter 3: India and the Indian Ocean Basin (trade networks, state formation, religion, society, and Southeast Asian interactions).

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25 Terms

1
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Who was Buzurg ibn Shahriyar and what did he compose around 953 CE?

A tenth-century shipmaster from the Gulf coast who compiled The Book of the Wonders of India, a collection of stories about distant lands and maritime trade.

2
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What types of tales did Buzurg's Book of the Wonders of India include?

Tall tales alongside reflections of trade conditions, shipwrecks, pirates, and other aspects of maritime life.

3
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What broader network do Buzurg's stories reflect?

The Indian Ocean basin trade network linking east Africa to southeast Asia and China.

4
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According to CHAPTER FOCUS, what characterized India's political situation for a millennium?

It lacked a centralized imperial state.

5
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Which religions originated in south Asia but lost most of their support there by this era?

Buddhism and Jainism.

6
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What religions remained central in south Asia, and which grew in influence in the north?

Hinduism remained dominant (with the caste system); Islam increasingly influenced northern India.

7
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What similarities connected south Asia with China and the Islamic caliphates during this period?

Increased agricultural production, population growth, urbanization, and enormous interregional trade.

8
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What role did the Indian Ocean rim ports play in the era's economy?

They served as major hubs (emporia) and tax centers, linking lands from east Africa to China.

9
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Why did diaspora communities form in the Indian Ocean trade network?

Merchants formed diaspora communities to wait out mis-timed winds when monsoon seasons did not align with sailing directions.

10
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What was the significance of Sind and its conquest in 711 CE?

The Umayyad conquest of Sind introduced Islam to northern India; Sind remained on the fringe of the Islamic world.

11
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How did Muslim merchants influence Indian trade?

Muslim merchants formed communities in coastal Indian cities and dominated commerce, often marrying locals and integrating into society.

12
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What was the Delhi Sultanate, and when did it rule Northern India?

A Turkish-ruled Islamic state centered in Delhi that governed northern India from 1206 to 1526, with limited bureaucratic reach beyond the capital.

13
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Which southern Indian kingdom ruled the Coromandel coast for four centuries and dominated trade?

The Chola kingdom (850–1267 CE).

14
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What was Vijayanagar, and when did it rise to dominance?

A Hindu kingdom in the northern Deccan founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka, dominating southern India from the mid-14th century until 1565.

15
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What role did Hindu temples play in southern India's economy and society?

Temples owned land, served as banks and schools, organized irrigation, supported merchants and artisans, and helped mobilize economic activity.

16
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What were emporia, and why were they important?

Large trading centers/warehouses (e.g., Cambay, Calicut, Quilon) where merchants exchanged goods and established hubs in Indian Ocean trade.

17
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What ships dominated Indian Ocean trade and how did load capacity change from 1000 CE to 1500 CE?

Dhows (~100 tons in 1000 CE; ~400 tons by 1500 CE) and Chinese junks carried large cargoes across the ocean.

18
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What was the Kingdom of Axum known for in the Indian Ocean world?

A Christian kingdom in northern Ethiopia with Adulis as a major port; it engaged in long-distance trade, exporting gold, ivory, and slaves.

19
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What was the impact of caste on postclassical Indian society during trade expansion?

The caste system remained central; merchant guilds formed subcastes; temples reinforced caste distinctions and organized economic life.

20
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What three sources illuminate Chinese trade with Indian Ocean ports, and what do they collectively show?

Source 1: The Nanhai trade officials report; Source 2: Chau Ju-kua’s description of Java; Source 3: Marco Polo on Quanzhou—together illustrating regulation, wealth, and government involvement in transregional trade (8th–14th centuries).

21
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What is the Bhakti movement and who were its notable figures?

A devotional movement seeking personal union with the divine, bridging Hinduism and Islam; notable figures include Ramanuja and Kabir (and interactions with Sufi thought; Shankara represented philosophical critique within Hinduism).

22
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Who were key Islamic missionaries in India and what approach did they use?

Sufi mystics, who promoted personal devotion, tolerance of local practices, and helped convert many Indians to Islam.

23
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How did Islam spread in Southeast Asia, and which city-state helped spread it in the fifteenth century?

Islam spread through traders (often Indians) and Sufi missionaries; Melaka (Malacca) became a major center sponsoring Islam across the region.

24
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What is Angkor Wat, and what does it signify about Indian influence in SE Asia?

A monumental temple complex at Angkor reflecting Hindu cosmology (and later Buddhist elements), illustrating Indian architectural, cultural, and religious influence in Cambodia.

25
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What conclusion does the chapter reach about India's political structure in relation to central imperial rule?

Unlike China and some other regions, India did not experience a revival of centralized imperial rule; it remained politically fragmented but connected to Afro-Eurasian trade and culture.