Indian Ocean Trade Notes

Sea Lanes, Indian Ocean

  • Contextualization:
    • Essay should start by mentioning that sea exchange is nothing new.
    • Refer to historical examples: Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Venice.
    • Use the term "commerce" instead of "trade".

Geographical and City References

  • Mention major cities along trade routes such as Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great, connecting Europe and Africa.
  • Emphasize the importance of geographical awareness when discussing trade lanes.

Monsoons and Trade

  • Monsoons: Crucial for Indian Ocean trade.
    • Indian merchants understood and utilized the monsoon winds.

Silk Road vs. Indian Ocean Trade

  • Silk Road:
    • Dealt with luxury items.
    • Catered to the elite.
  • Indian Ocean:
    • Dealt with bulk goods.
    • Accessible to the common folk.
    • Cheaper shipping.
    • Analogous to Prada (Silk Road) versus TJ Maxx (Indian Ocean).

The Dhow Ship

  • Dhow (d h o w): Arab ship used in the Indian Ocean.
    • Served as a conduit of cultural diffusion.

Trade Dynamics

  • Trade was not between entire countries but between merchants in specific cities (e.g., Goa in India trading with Mogadishu in Somalia).

The Rise of Islam

  • The rise of Islam facilitated trade and cultural exchange.
    • Islam spread across Northern and East Africa due to this trade.
    • Use term "cultural transfer" instead of cultural diffusion.
    • Silk Road saw the spread of Buddhism compared to Islam's spread in the Indian Ocean trade.

Technological Advancements

  • Larger ships like the Dhow and the Latin sail boosted
  • The magnetic compass improved navigation, facilitating trade.

Islamic Perspective on Commerce

  • Islam was favorable towards merchants and commercial activities.
    • Prophet Mohammed came from the merchant class.

Impacted Regions

  • Southeast Asia:
    • Srivijaya rose to prominence.
    • The Strait of Malacca became a strategic point for collecting tariffs.
  • East Africa:
    • Flourished with spices.
    • Emergence of Swahili civilization.
  • Great Zimbabwe

Srivijaya

  • Srivijaya controlled the Strait of Malacca, taxing ships passing through.
  • Dominated Southeast Asia due to:
    • Abundant gold.
    • Spices.
    • Taxes on ships.
  • Became a hybrid of Indian culture.
  • Borobudur as an example of city with temple, similar to Dunhuang on Silk Road.

Swahili Civilization

  • East Africa saw the rise of Swahili civilization.
  • Competition among city-states.
  • Emergence of a distinct class structure due to merchant wealth.
  • Comparison to Mongol Yuan Dynasty in accepting merchants.

Commerce and Culture

  • Commerce influences culture.

Ecological Differences and Trade

  • Ecological differences drove trade.
    • Eurasia (cold) traded different goods than outer regions (warm).
  • Key commodities:
    • Silk and spices.
  • Latin American colonialism's key commodities:
    • Silver, sugar, slaves.

Trade Dynamics: Chain of Transactions

  • Trade occurred through a chain of transactions (relay race phenomenon).
    • Indirect trade routes.

Social Impact of Trade

  • Traders became their own social group.
  • Social mobility increased as traders gained wealth and status.
  • Facilitating kingdoms benefited from the revenue generated by trade.

Multifaceted Exchange

  • Exchange included:
    • Religion.
    • Technology.
    • Disease.
    • Plants and animals.

Inner vs. Outer Eurasia

  • Inner Eurasia (cold): Characterized by livestock and hides.
  • Outer Eurasia (warm): Characterized by various foods and spices.

Classical Civilizations and Trade

  • Trade is not a new phenomenon; it existed in classical civilizations such as Greece and the Han Dynasty.

Trade Route Example

  • Cairo in Egypt as a key location in a trade network.