Indian Ocean Trade
Definition
The Indian Ocean Trade was a vast network of maritime trade routes that connected Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa from the 3rd century BCE to the 15th century CE.
Analogy
Think of the Indian Ocean Trade like a massive shopping mall where different countries are stores. Each store (country) has unique products (goods and resources) that others want to buy or exchange for.
Related terms
Monsoon Winds: These are seasonal winds in the Indian Ocean region which facilitated navigation and trade by allowing sailors to predict wind patterns.
Dhow Ships: Traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region, primarily for carrying heavy items like fruits, spices or other goods for trade.
Spice Trade: This refers to the historical commerce of spices which were considered a luxury item in many parts of medieval Europe. The spice trade was mainly driven by sea routes including those of the Indian Ocean.
"Indian Ocean Trade" appears in:
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Practice Questions (13)
States that grew as a result of an increase in Indian Ocean trade and exchange include...
Indian Ocean trade directly encouraged the growth of which state?
What effect did the environment have on the expansion of Indian Ocean trade?
Indian Ocean trade was different from trade along the Silk Road in that
What were some of the main factors that drove the Indian Ocean trade?
What major consequence did the Indian Ocean trade have on societies along its route?
How were merchant communities that engaged in Indian Ocean trade typically organized during the Postclassical Era?
What was a major consequence of increased Indian Ocean trade for Eastern Africa during early modern era?
What was one significant impact of Indian Ocean trade on Southeast Asia during the Post-classical era?
How did Indian Ocean trade influence Swahili city-states between the 8th and 16th centuries?
What impact did Indian Ocean trade have on coastal environments?
If Indian Ocean traders were unable to utilize monsoon winds for navigation during this era, how might it have affected Indian Ocean trade?
Which of these factors allowed Portuguese Empire to dominate Indian ocean trade during the late fifteenth century?
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