Trade Networks of Africa and Asia

1
Trade Networks of Africa and Asia

• Chapter 2, Section 3

2
The Muslim World

• Rise and Spread of Islam
• Early 600s Islam emerged from Arabia. Islams
  founder was Muhammad. Followers are called
  Muslims. Their sacred book is the Quran. Their
  holy city is Mecca.
• Islam spread across North Africa and Spain. Islam
  also spread eastward into Persia (Iraq) and
  India.
• Islam spread via trade and conquest.

3
The Muslim World

• Trade Routes
• Muslims traded across a vast (large) area.
• One of the ways Muslims traveled for trade was
  across water. Their ships used triangular sails
  like those on modern sail boats.
• The captains were experts in wind direction and
  weather conditions of the Indian Ocean (which
  they used often).

4
The Muslim World

• Silk Road
• Another way Muslim traders traveled was over
  land. Through grasslands, mountains, and deserts
  of Central Asia. These land routes were called
  Silk Routes because Chinese silks were carried
  westward on them for more that 2,000 years.
• What were some of the difficulties Muslim trades
  faced? How did they protect themselves?
• Muslims sold porcelains from China, cloth from
  India, ivory and gold from East Africa and spices
  from Southeast Asia.

5
African Trading States and Cultures

• City-States of East Africa
• Trade followed the East African Coast. Why?
• Wealth from all the trade helped East African
  rulers build strong city-states.
• Many rulers of the city-states became Muslim.
• How did the language Swahili come about?
• Trading Kingdoms of West Africa
• What covers most of West Africa?
• What were the kingdoms that emerged as a result
  of the trade routes?

6
African Trading States and Cultures

• Trading Kingdoms of West Africa
• Mali rose around 1200 A.D. and flourished for 200
  years. Mali adopted Muslim as their religion.
• Malis most famous ruler was Mansa Musa. In 1324
  the ruler went to Mecca on the way Musa stopped
  at Cairo, Egypt. His wealth amazed the Egyptians.
  Rumors of his wealth spread to Europe.
• In the 1400s, Songhai emerged as the most
  powerful kingdom in West Africa.

7
African Trading States and Cultures

• Village and Family Life
• Most people lived outside around the kingdoms in
  small villages.
• What did they do to make a living?
• Family relationships were and are important in
  African Cultures. Extended families lived
  together. Who did this include?
• Families were linked via ties of kinship.
• Religious beliefs varies across Africa but there
  were many commonalities. What were some of these
  similarities?

8
Chinese Voyages of Trade and Exploration

• The Great Treasure Fleet
• 1402 Zheng He came to power and wanted trade in
  his kingdom.
• He had 300 ships built which carried 28,000
  sailors and tons of trade goods. How large was
  the largest ship?
• Zheng He made 7 long voyages between 1405 and
  1433 to Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East
  Africa.

9
Chinese Voyages of Trade and Exploration

• The Voyages End
• Zheng Hes fleets returned home with great exotic
  goods and animals.
• After his death Chinese voyages stopped. Why?
• What Might Have Been

10
Independent Work

• Pick Two
• Explain why trade groups flourished in the Muslim
  world?
• How did trade and religion link people in the
  Muslim world?
• What were some common values that linked the
  people of many different African cultures?
• How did Chinas emperor encourage overseas trade
  in the early 1400s?

11
Group Work

• Draw an outline map of Asia and Africa. Write the
  name of the country that were part of trade
  networks from the 1400s.