#2 - Trade Routes (Indian Ocean)

Indian Ocean Sea Lanes

lanes throughout the Indian Ocean connecting East Africa, the Persian Gulf, India, Southeast Asia, and southern China.

Monsoon Winds

seasonal wind patterns, particularly in the Indian Ocean region, that reverse direction seasonally. These predictable, strong winds facilitated trade along the Indian Ocean routes by allowing sailors to plan voyages and established distinct wet and dry seasons in South and Southeast Asia.

Lateen Sails

a triangular sail that enabled ships to sail against the wind (tacking), greatly increasing maneuverability and allowing for early oceanic navigation by catching winds from different directions, unlike earlier square sails.

Dhow

a traditional one- or two-masted Arab sailing vessel with lateen (triangular) sails used for trading heavy goods, particularly in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

Swahili City States

independent, urban-based centers of trade along the East African coast that flourished from the 11th century onward. Characterized by a unique culture blending African and Arab traditions, they acted as intermediaries in the Indian Ocean trade network, connecting goods from Africa's interior with Asia and the Middle East.

Gujarat

a region in western India that became a major center for Indian Ocean trade and manufacturing from the medieval period onward. It was known for exporting commodities like cotton textiles and indigo, receiving gold and silver in return, and producing leather goods, carpets, and silk.

"go-between" connecting East and West trade routes.

Sultanate Of Malacca

a thriving, powerful city-state centered on the vital Strait of Malacca from around 1400 to 1511, becoming a major Islamic trading hub and the center for the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia before its fall to the Portuguese. It controlled the most important maritime route between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, amassed wealth through trade and tariffs

Great Zimbabwe

the powerful capital of a southern African trading kingdom from the 11th to 15th centuries. Walls and tower of the Great Enclosure, which served as a seat of power, religion, and administration for a society that derived wealth from gold, ivory, cattle, and agriculture, and controlled vital trade routes to the Indian Ocean coast.

Malay

a designation for peoples of Southeast Asian origin who settled the Malay Peninsula, parts of Indonesia, and the Philippines. 2) The Malay language, which served as a lingua franca for trade and communication across the Malay world, especially during the Malacca Sultanate.

Southernization

the process of various economic and technological innovations that originated in Southern Asia and then spread to other parts of the world, including the Middle East, East Asia, Africa, and eventually Europe

Junks

a type of Chinese sailing ship characterized by fully battened sails, a central rudder, and watertight bulkheads, developed by the Song Dynasty and used for extensive voyages in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Eunuchs

castrated men employed in royal courts, particularly in China and the Middle East, who served as trusted, non-hereditary officials, advisors, and servants.

Kilwa

a powerful and wealthy Swahili Coast city-state (modern-day Tanzania) that flourished between the 11th and 15th centuries by controlling trade in gold, ivory, and other goods from the African interior with merchants from the Indian Ocean World

Swahili Language

the language and the Swahili Coast culture that emerged from the mixing of Bantu-speaking Africans and Arab traders in East Africa, becoming a hub for Indian Ocean commerce from the 8th to the 16th centuries.

Magnetic Compass

a Chinese invention that significantly improved navigation by allowing sailors and travelers to determine direction, even when celestial navigation (using stars) was not possible. It is an instrument with a magnetic needle that aligns with Earth's magnetic field to point north

Astrolabe

an ancient astronomical and navigational instrument used to determine latitude by measuring the altitude of stars and planets, thus aiding in long-distance sea travel and the creation of trade networks during the Age of Exploration.

Stern Mounted Rudder

a steering device mounted at the back of a ship that significantly increased maneuverability and control, allowing ships to beat into the wind, navigate narrow channels, and facilitate long-distance trade and the Age of Exploration. Originally a Chinese invention, the stern rudder spread to other cultures,

Diasporic Communities

groups of people with a shared heritage or homeland who are dispersed across different geographic locations, maintaining a collective identity and cultural connection to their place of origin while adapting to new environments.

Entrepots

an entrepôt is a port, city, or trading center where goods are brought for import, export, storage, or collection and distribution, effectively serving as a hub for long-distance trade and facilitating the exchange of commodities for traders.

Zheng He

the Muslim eunuch admiral who commanded seven massive naval expeditions for the Ming Dynasty of China from 1405 to 1433. These voyages showcased Chinese power, reestablished the tribute system by collecting tribute from foreign rulers, and facilitated trade across the Indian Ocean, reaching as far as East Africa.