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Indian Ocean Trade Dbq

Decent Essays

Before 1448, European had to use the Silk Road to trade with Asia. In 1453, Muslim took over Constantinople; the only way to Asia had been cut. European nations started to use the Maritime way, and they took over many places in Asia as their access to an easier trade system. Among these European nations, like what they did to America, their goals and the way they achieved their initiatives in Asia are different from one another. Portuguese was the first group that explored the way to Asia without going through Muslims. Because of their special geography, Portugal had advanced technology. They had “outgun” ships and controlled the sea area. They also established bases in key locations of the places they conquered. They created “trading post empire” by force. They conquered ports and big cities, but not the whole place. Portuguese’s goal was gaining the control of commerce instead of territory and controlling population. Their …show more content…

Unlike Spain and Portugal, Dutch used private trading companies. The Holland Government gave these companies power to make war and govern the Native people. They set their goal on Indonesia. They attempted to control the shipping and production of the Asian spices such as: cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and soon. Dutch forced people only to trade with them, if they refused, their productions would be destroyed. Dutch wanted pure profits from Asia. They used military (bloody methods) to ruin the Native people and their trade system instead of economic competitions. British also used private trading companies and they focused on India. Because British settlers were private companies, they mainly focused on Indian cottons, which were considered as “diamond” in Europe. To sell cottons back to Europe would give them huge wealth. At that time, Mughal Empire was still strong compare to British settlers. British decided to trade with Mughal Empire, and swallowed it step by

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