Manorial Trade Network, the Indian Ocean Trade Network, and the Trans-Saharan Trade Network

One of the most prominent effects of the cross cultural interaction was the Afro Eurasian Trade Network which helped increase revenue. The trade routes that were part of this network were the Mediterranean Sea Maritime Trade Route, Indian Ocean Maritime Trade Route, Eurasian Silk Road and the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes. The increase in trade resulted in the emergence of major cities such as Timbuktu, Jenne, Mogadishu, Mombasa and other Swahili city states. Another reason for the flourish of trade was the invention of new technologies such as caravans for traveling and the trading of luxury goods such as silk, cotton and porcelain. The dawn of new kingdoms such as Mali, Songhay and Sudan contributed to this effect as well. The spread of Islam resulted in

“No nation was ever ruined by trade.” This quote was said by Benjamin Franklin in the late 1700s. These words are so simple, and it seems like anyone could have said them. However, this quote has a bigger meaning in that throughout world history, trade has been so important to so many countries and it has led to many empires successes. It has occurred for a very long time, and it has progressed dramatically. Trade has changed a lot, but some parts of trade stayed the same over a long periods of time. In the era between 300 CE and 1450 CE, trade between Eurasia and Africa changed because the empires and kingdoms in power were replaced and their control over trade differed;

Economic relationships between classical China and India were similar and almost seemed to rely on one another. India was considered “the center of trade”. Most trade routes were all passing through and dependent on India. Indian emphasis on trade and merchant activity was far more than in China, and also greater in the classical Mediterranean world. During the Maurya rule, India expanded their trade between the main centers of civilization Eurasia and Africa. Some products produced at one end of the system, such as Chinese silks and porcelains, were carried the whole length of the trading networks to be sold at the other end of the routes, in Rome. As a result, China and India both had to work together and figure out a way to make sure and help each other because both civilizations depended on each other for different things.

Indian Ocean Trading Network - Long distance trade in dhows and sailboats made it a dynamic zone of interaction between peoples, cultures, and civilizations.

During the time period 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E., trade networks were relied upon to transfer goods, ideas, and services. Both the Trans-Saharan and Silk Road trade routes depended on animals, luxury goods, and economic growth. However, the trade routes differed in animals, types of luxury goods, and success of economic growth.

Although key elements of the trade between Africa and Eurasia changed during the era of 300-1450, a few factors stayed the same. In 300 C.E., trade routes were primarily between Europe and North Africa. The way that they changed by the time of 1450 was that they expanded southward and westward. By 1450, these trade routes went through West Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Indian Ocean. One factor that stayed the same during this time period was that the northern coast of Africa was always involved in the trade between Africa and the rest of Eurasia.

From 120 BCE to the 16th century, trade was a remarkable part of the Eastern Hemisphere. It played a vital role in the kingdoms and city-states that made up all of what the 21st century calls Europe, Asia, and Africa. Trade was critically important in this time period because of the diverse climate that was scattered all across the continent. Due to the climate, every location had different resources that were provided by nature. Without specific resources, specific goods could not be manufactured. Not only that, but since technology was not as advanced as it is now, specific products were not able to exist in areas. The only way to obtain those products was to trade. Two of the many routes that a merchant could use to trade were the Silk Road and the Sea Roads along the Indian Ocean. Of those two roads, the Indian trade route had the most positive impact around the world. It facilitated the trading of mass goods since rather than using animals to transport goods, they used boats. It also provided a type of wind known as Monsoon wind that merchants could benefit from. Finally, the Indian Ocean trade route stretched out at a greater distance than the silk road, which impacted the goods that could be traded. Overall, the Indian Ocean trade route had the best impact in the Eastern Hemisphere and even the world.

1. Trade networks in the post-Classical era has seen a range variety of the established and new networks of people’s exchanges crossing several regions. Extraordinary amount of wealth and growth emerged through cultural exchanges. Advanced transportation, the many different governing policies and business practices led to the widespread connection of networks which also contributed to the cultural, biological and technological spread throughout societies.

The Indian Ocean Trade Network, as well as the silk road had aided in cultural diffusion, and the transmission of ideas, however these routes were different in the way in which they were traversed and what ideas were specifically transmitted. The Indian Ocean Trade route

The Trans-Saharan trade remained a constant source of wealth and ultimately enabled the spread of ideas, thus strengthening the West African kingdoms. The constant source of wealth in the empire was due to many factors such as the trade concessions on the Atlantic coast and the need for salt and gold that strengthened the economy. The trade concessions on the Atlantic coast was a form of taxing system in order to trade with the West African empire (WHFUA Mali & Songhai, 1). Due to the fact that the Mali empire had a variety of resources that other empires required such as salt and gold the empire took advantage of that and therefore taxed foreign ships that landed in West African territory gaining income to benefit the economy and thus strengthening

1. Long-distance commerce acted as a motor of change in pre-modern world history by altering consumption and daily life. Essential food and useful tools such as salt were traded from the Sahara desert all the way to West Africa and salt was used as a food preserver. Some incenses essential to religious ceremonies were traded across the world because there was a huge demand for them. Trade diminished economic self-sufficiency by creating a reliance on traded goods and encouraged people to specialize and trade a particular skill. Trade motivated the creation of a state due to the wealth accumulated from controlling and taxing trade. Trade posed the problem of if the government or private

    During the Classical Era, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East all existed relatively isolated from each other, with minimal interaction. By the end of the Classical Era, trade routes had developed and connected the regions. This created cultural diffusion and led the world into the Post-Classical ERa. During this era, trade networks impacted civilizations and culture by creating a more tolerant global climate, increasing and improving education, and speeding different religions across the land. These trade routes still impact the world today, often bringing controversy with such effects.

Indian Ocean Region is the best trade route it. The route carry more products and profited per trip. Which helped the social and economic ties between area. Eventually those ties will be ruined due to the fall of the Mongol empire. Previous trade connections and interaction were ruined. Eventually the new ties will make tension for who gets the right to control the Indian Ocean trade route in period 4. Trading still occurs but it was no longer safe. The Indian Ocean network was never controlled by a single empire. Eventually what was traded was different. The government still charge a reasonable amount for trading in the Indian Network. Cites also still grew around the ports. The trading network was near east asia, India, and east coast

Europe has been part of trade even before the silk roads and has been impacted profoundly because of it. European civilizations would communicate with other civilizations to exchange goods or ideas. Trade networks affected Europe as they used to trade to interact with other countries, “Europe would communicate with nearby countries” (1). Trade changed the cultures in Europe because they can contact one another. These civilizations would work to help get the resources they need.

Trade routes played an essential role when considering development in the Sahel region, given that states in the area have thrived as a consequence of supporting these respective routes. Slave trade with Islamic states was especially significant in the development of states in the Sahel region. Trading across the continent facilitated the wellbeing of individuals living in Sahel and thus created an intriguing contrast between these states and other nations living in the upper and lower Saharan areas.