While continuity remains in the Indian Ocean region from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E., the astounding changes broke up the peaceful silence. During the time period, the goods and routes in the Indian Ocean were almost unchanged. However, following the European colonziation in the regions around the Indian Ocean, the trade overwhelmingly became western-dominant instead of local-state autonomy.
First of all, the goods in the commerce in the Indian Ocean region were almost the same. Ships with a huge number of spices set the sailing from India. Vessels with mountains of gold and silvers from Africa went through the Indian Ocean. China sent ships to the Indian Ocean, starting the Maritime Silk Road, spreading the delicate silk to the kings in the states surrounding the Indian Ocean. Thanks to the Indian Ocean Trade, different people were able to experience various goods in different places. However, changes still occur. Following the European exploration, the European goods also participated in the commerce in the Indian Ocean, though the European traders usually played the role of colonizers and exploiters.
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Secondly, the trade routes in the Indian Ocean remained similar to the past.
Because the Indian Ocean was one of the most important sea area to conduct import and export activities, traders relied on the area very much, a situation lasting hundreds of years. Also, due to the regularity of mansoon in summer and winter and currents, certain routes were agreed to be the most efficient ways from one place to another. In business, it is huge important to minimize the costs. Therefore, traders from various places utilized the same trade routes. Merchants arrived at one places and sold the goods and purchased the local productions. Even European traders in the seventeenth and eighteenth century utilized these routes as
well. Finally, the significant change in the Indian Ocean was the participation of massive European traders and colonizers. With great economic and political ambitions, the European merchants controlled the raw material places and enslaved the local peoples and enviscerated the original trade system. They converted the spontanous voluntary trade system to the European-dominant forced trade for the sake of their own business and European economy development. For example, the Great Britain colonized India, which later became the foothold to continue much more expasion ambitions in the Far East, especially openning the gate of China by the infamous opium trade. Because the European controlled almost all the regions surrounding the Indian Ocean, it made the trade much easier. The places around the Indian Ocean became the raw material production places to support the Industrial Revolution in Europe, with the atrocities in colonies for the sake of European citizens. In the past, the traders in the Indian Ocean were from various places; however, gradually, European forces seized the territories and the European merchants became the dominant people participating the trade. In conclusion, while the goods and routes in the Indian Ocean remained unchanged, the European intrusion in the previously peaceful system changed the trade, dominating the raw material places, fueling the Industrial Revolution in Europe.
In the early 19th century, the British East India Company established more trade warehouses and thoroughfares in the Indian subcontinent. This occupation of Indian lands was welcomed by some groups and fiercely opposed by others. While met by more opposition, the British Empire expanded into the other Indian Ocean territories up to the end of the century. Because the trans-Atlantic slave trade was profitable for African elites and brought many valuable goods to West Africa, when it was effectively shut down after 1808 by British patrols, people along this coast were eager to keep the European trade lines alive. The imposition of this “legitimate trade” (any non-slave trade) saw a huge rise in African exports of gold and palm oil.
The trans-Atlantic interactions from 1600 to 1763 significantly contributed to maintaining continuity and fostering changes in the labor systems in the British North American colonies. When the colonies were founded, plantations played an important role. The Europeans maintained continuity of labor systems since the demand for labor was high in the colonies. By using African slave labor, they endorsed change to the labor systems.
As new ideas traveled main trade routes, such as the Silk Road and the Mediterranean, the effects of such were felt through an influx of contact between countries due to increased desire for new information and countries gaining a larger presence on the world stage. This phenomenon can also be seen through the lens of cultural exchange that took place during this same time period in Eurasia. A major component of the Eurasian trade networks, such as the Silk Road and Indian Ocean, was that they fostered interregional contacts that had ceased to previously exist. When a country had a desire for study or technology, they earned more respect on the global stage. This can be further examined by looking at Marco Polo’s voyage into Asia.
1.) As a whole, the entry of the Europeans into the Asian sea trading network had relatively little effect on the entire system. The entry of the Europeans into the network led to the establishment of new trade routes in the Indian Ocean to the southern Atlantic near the Cape of Good Hope. In water, the Europeans were superior militarily, but on land against fortified Asian settlements, the Asians far surpassed the Europeans technologically. The only superior items that the Europeans had were small, fast sea vessels such as caravels, clocks, and weaponry. This situation of inferiority led to the Europeans’ plan of adaptation to the Asian network instead of trying to control it. Although the Europeans had little to offer, the agricultural items introduced such as crops first cultivated in the Americas proved to be very sustainable and led to large amounts of population growth, but the growing numbers eventually led to the spread of epidemic diseases that ultimately ravaged both Asian and European populations.
During the classical era, there were shifts worldwide with regards to economic imports and exports. As many societies transformed from hunting-gathering societies into specialization societies, global trade networks expanded. This led to the founding and growth of many complex trade networks, both on land and by sea. Two notable trade networks were the Mediterranean Sea network and the Silk Road. The Mediterranean Sea is in Europe, and the trade network lined the shores of Turkey and North Africa. The Silk Road was trans-Asian. It reached from China to the Eastern Mediterranean. While these networks had multiple similarities in their expansion and spread of religion and ideas, there were many differences. These included the type of materials
The Age of maritime exploration in Europe represented a new era of global inter-connectivity and interaction. Due to technological development, Europeans were capable to forging into new and formerly undiscovered territories. The Europeans growing desire to satisfy their demand for luxurious good as well as the desire to discover precious materials like silver and gold served as a particularly crucial motivation for maritime exploration. Maritime exploration also introduced Europeans to new culture, foods, and peoples.
Analyze continuities and changes in commerce in the Indian Ocean region from 650 CE to 1750 CE
He meant that economically open doors for countries throughout Europe to stimulate their economy. Describe the different global economies that Europeans participated in or created during the European age of expansion. A global economy was made solely reliant on produce of its province; gaining free labor from slaves also shipment bringing in byproduct colonies. This encouraged growth for Europe to extend their boarder and riches. One of the most striking features of Indian societies at the time of the encounter with Europeans was their diversity. Support this statement with several examples. Examples of this can be irrigation, roadway systems, the pyramids, and the diversity of different languages in different cities. Compare and contrast European values and ways of life with those of the Indians. Consider addressing religion, views about ownership of land, gender relations, and notions of freedom. The Indians believed that if they lived on property then it is theirs but if it is not inhabited then it is free where as Europeans believe that wealth comes from land ownership and fortune. Indian women won homes and tools and European women do not. What were the main factors fueling the European age of expansion? The main factors for expansion were resource, new route to India resource and pillaging. Compare the different economic and
With navigation and ship construction being enhanced, ships were ready to navigate long distance and along open seas. Basically, the thought process of later explorers, such as Christopher Columbus, to achieve the wealth of the east, including India, to reduce costs and profits. The discovery of the New World was affected by the Mongol invasions since it reengaged Europe in trade with the East and prompted explorers wanting to discover new routes to avoid middlemen on the way to their destinations.
Reaching towards the peak of trade, Europe faced difficulties in trading with Asia due to sections of multiple trade routes being dominated by Muslims. This meant that men were lost and it took a great amount of time to be able to give and receive the products being traded. This was when Christopher Columbus proposed a solution, believing that a route which sailed west through the Atlantic Ocean, would be a much safer and faster way of trading with Asia.
Eurasian trade when conditions along the Silk Road were unfavorable. For this reason, the geographical context of the Silk Road must be thought of in the broadest possible terms, including sea rout...
Grouchier, C & Walton, L. 2013. The maritime world: The Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean World. Vol 2. London & New York.
In conclusion, the Silk Road was an important landmark as it connected the west and the east which created an international trade system. Even after its disappearance due to the fall of Constantinople, its success was so huge that its existence in history still inspired and encouraged others to find ways to repeat its achievement. Although Christopher Columbus eventually failed to discover another path that links the east and the west, his endeavors that were inspired by the Silk Road led to the rise of maritime exploration, and even more importantly the discovery of the New World. Therefore, the Silk Road has demonstrated itself to be a significant aspect of the human experience, as from it, we are able to experience globalization, record the rise of some of the greatest civilizations, and also oversee the rise of maritime exploration.
the European era in Indian history. The lucrative trade in spices of Malabar - in modern Kerala - had tempted
The Indian Ocean have some of the coolest activities in the world. As the Indian Ocean have many tropical islands, the activities are less dangerous. It is always a good time to do the activities. The Indian Ocean is well organised when it comes to activities. There are interesting activities that you will only find in the Indian Ocean.