Indian Ocean Trade Essay Example

Trading empires between 600 c.e. And 1450 c.e played important roles in the lives and livelihoods of many places associated with them. Each system had their own imports,exports, and reliability, but both systems involved isolated places that saw their wealth rise exponentially when trade became a part of their economy.

The Indian ocean trade system Involved islands Located in the indian ocean and parts of southeast asia. It became a major trade system due to its location and surrounding islands became wealthy because they were able to control taxes on ships that went through the malacca strait. The trans-Saharan trade system was located in africa. In areas where resources are few and far apart, trade became very important and trading cities such as Timbuktu quickly became wealthy.

Although each trading empire was unique there are some seeable similarities Both the Indian Ocean and the Trans-Sahara trade systems were part of places that were generally isolated from most other people. The indian ocean peoples were located on isolated islands as well as china whom trade wise isolated themselves and the trans saharan trade peoples were located in various desert cities, also isolated. Both trade systems were the livelihood and economic center for many associated cities. For example the island nation of Srivijaya’s city Majapahit relied heavily on trade so much so that when oceanic trade started to sizzle out their economy started to sizzle out as well. Similarly the wealthy city of Timbuktu started out as a simple trading post, but when trade started to become more apparent (thanks to mansa musa) the city started to rise economically and it grew from a small trading post to a massive city of gold and knowledge. One final similarity that each trading system had was its spread of beliefs, Although each spread different beliefs (indian ocean trade spread buddhism and the trans sahara spread islam) trade contributed to the growth of religious importance.

Each trading empire was unique and contributed to various societies in their own way. The Indian ocean trade system truly relied on one thing: nutmeg and spices. Without the presence of nutmeg many other states that traded throughout the Indian ocean may not have actually gone to trade since there was not much else that was as valuable. However the trans saharan trade system was vast and included exports such as wood and gold and imports such as porcelain and books. The Indian ocean trade also involved predictable monsoon wind that made travel and trade safe and of course predictable. The winds could almost guarantee travel times and, with no disruptions, products and ships could travel quickly and safely. One final difference between the two trade systems was the importance of trade on the economies. Where the trans-sahara needed trade to thrive the Indian ocean trade needed trade to survive. Without trade cities on the island of java crumbled but when trade left timbuktu, it was still a revered place of knowledge and gold.

The Indian ocean and trans-saharan trade systems were important and wealthy trading empires. Each trade system involved isolated places and contained cities that rose with its power, however each trade system traded different products, amounts of knowledge, and were different in terms of safety.