The growth of trade between Africa, Asia and Europe influenced a very important religion. The location of the Islamic world was ideal for trade, it lay between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. Muslims traveled by land and sea, creating a network of trade. A Muslim scholar named Ibn Battuta traveled around Europe, Africa and Asia for about 7 years. Ibn Battuta traveled all around West Africa, Europe and Asia. The goods they traded were silk, paper, dishes, spices, gems and coconuts. By A.D. 1000, Islam had the world’s largest cities outside of China. One of the biggest trade networks ever recorded is the Gold-Salt trade. There are 3 stages to the spread of Islam in West Africa; containment, mixing, and reform. Most of the …show more content…
The Trans-Saharan caravan routes began in North Africa along the Northwestern border of the Sahara.
In 1352, a Muslim named Ibn Battuta crossed the Sahara with a trade caravan. Battuta’s caravan began at the Oasis city of Sijilmasa, on the northern edge of the Sahara in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Battuta stayed in the Sijilmasa for a few months, waiting for the rainy season to end.
When the Oasis’s were full, the traders set out. They traveled from Oasis to Oasis. Walking across the desert was dangerous, one time during the trip the traders could not find water so they slaughtered there camels and drank there water. The caravan stopped at Taghaza, a village where salt mines were located. They took on a load of salt. There entire journey took about 2 months (Frey, History Alive).
The traders used to just trade between settlements when trade was hard. After a while the traders gained new methods of travel and this helped them carry more supplies across the Sahara. The first traders traded Yams, Mahogany and Grains. The new ones traded Silk, Paper, Dishes, Spices, Gems and Coconuts.
By A.D. 1000, Islam had the world’s largest cities outside of China. One of the most famous cities is Timbuktu. “Timbuktu is one of the oldest cities in the Islamic world to have more than 1 universities” (afrolegends.com). Sijilmasa is one of the
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
In the Arabian peninsula, Islam had started. After Muhammad died, the Muslim community embarked on a series of military conquests that extended their control over much of Eurasia and north Africa. Muslim merchants also became a prominent figure in trade during this time. The Islamic empire extended to the Arabian Peninsula and many areas around it. These places were central in the Mediterranean sea, Indian Ocean, and silk road trade routes. The Muslim merchants became a very big part of trade because of their location at the center of many trade routes from Eurasia to Africa. They were also a prominent part of trade because the camel saddle started to be used frequently in 600 CE. Camels were more equipped to walk through the desert, and so the ability to control them made the Muslims a major part of silk road trade. In addition to this, the Muslim agricultural revolution occurred around 600 CE. This caused more crops like cotton to be cultivated and traded, causing a greater income and virtually more trade between Africa and Eurasia. In the Indian Ocean basin, the Gupta empire had declined and there was no centralized rule in India. However, there were still major trading cities and new technologies caused trade to increase. An example of the new technologies would be the dhows and junks that were used at around 800 CE.
In Document 1, the map and the sentences stated explains to us that Aksum (Ethiopia today) became an “international trading center” during the year 325 to 360 BCE. The kingdom of Aksum soon became very culturally diverse because of all of the trading that is being done with places like Mecca and Memphis. In Document 8, the map and sentences stated explain that Ibn Battuta visited Kilwa, which was a coastal city-state in East Africa, and was flabbergasted once he saw the beautiful cities. It is then stated that Kilwa was the coastal city-state that controlled the overseas trade between the insides of Africa and the sites and places around that specific part of the world. The Red Sea was a very big contributor to the sea route of African trade because it allowed a way for Northern Africa to trade with India without having to trade over land. The sea routes were much more extensive then the land routes, which made trading with India much easier over water than land. Wealthiness due to conquering and gaining land also was a very important achievement from Africans, as explained in Document 2. In Document 2, a
Trans-Saharan slave trade - A smaller slave trade along the Sand Roads; slaves were taken during raids on independent states and clans.
Similarly both trade routes had access to salt. Nevertheless, the Trans-Saharan trade route also was able to obtain gold, ivory, metal ware, textiles, pepper, dates, beads, and leather. Consequently the quantity of goods led to an increase in wealth for Ghana. The Trans-Saharan trade route was able to exchange their luxury goods for pottery, glassware, and textiles from Persia, India, and China. Additionally during the 900’s the kings converted to Islam causing wealthy merchants to also convert. On the other hand, overland trade on the Silk Road produced silk, spices, and precious stones. Meanwhile sea-lanes on the Silk Road were capable of carrying bulkier items such as steel, stone, coral, and building materials. Because China was the only country that had cultivators and weavers with an outstanding knowledge of developing techniques, they were able to produce high-quality silk fabrics in classical
Even though these aspects describe the ways that change occurred with trade between Afro-Eurasia, one important part did stay the same. North Africa was consistent and always a key part of trade between the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia. In 300, North Africa was the only area that traded with the Mediterranean. In the time of the gold-salt trade, European venders and Islamic merchants arrived in North Africa. North African merchants still traded even when Europeans started to shift the balance of trade to the Americas starting from the mid-1400s. This is how trade systems between Africa and Europe stayed the same between the years 300-1450.
Witten on Document D, it is said that they had to go through the Gobi and Taklimakan desert, instead, they went along the Silk Road and they went through the mountains instead.
Mali: Gold and Salt trade; reached its peak in 14th century; Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca; Islam
Once Africa got involved with the major trading centers, trade improved and they were able
It had easy access to the Red Sea and other populated cities, such as Aden, Alexandria, and Muscat. The city began as “the crossroads of the lucrative caravan trade” and grew into an even busier area for vendors to prosper (Document A). Merchants from throughout the region carried merchandise, such as spices, perfumes, precious metals, ivory, and silk, in and out of the city (Document A). Mecca was not only a significant trade center, but became the home of the Ka’ba, the holy site of Islam. As visitors stopped by the area and the holy shrine, they became exposed to the religion and its teachings. Traders then brought Islam’s teachings along trade routes to areas beyond the peninsula. As ideas spread, a variety of people from all over the western world either learned about or experienced Islamic culture. The trade routes, on both land and sea, brought goods and the religion of Islam to areas as far as India, East Africa, China, and Spain (Document
Early evidence of trade along the Silk Roads comes from the so-called Oxus civilization, a group of fortified farming and trading cities built about 4,000 years ago on the borders between modern Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Archaeologists have found Chinese silks and goods from India and Mesopotamia, and pottery and ornaments from Inner Eurasia. The archaeological evidence leans toward the idea of cooperation between urban merchants and pastoralists. Over time, sophisticated systems of trade emerged that was organized in caravans sometimes with hundreds of individuals, often financed by urban merchants, and supplied with manufactured goods and the region’s specialties. At least by the first millennium BCE, caravans could stop at special rest stops known as caravansaries founded by local rulers or merchants. Caravansaries offered bunks, repair workshops, food, and information
The Byzantine Empire needed the metal to create an economy and many products. The route kept on expanding to be a more traditional trade route of the Silk Road between Europe and the Middle East. The camel caravans and oases were the primary modes of transportation to make it possible for the buyer and seller to communicate about the product and slave. The camels were perfectly suited to the travel through the Sahara from moving for extended periods of time and carrying heavy packages. The transportation also helped cultural exchange between Africans and Arabs. The Trans-Saharan trading enriched the African kingdoms beyond what would have been possible without it.
After watching and reviewing the video, “The Arab Muslim Slave Trade Of Africans, The Untold Story” the Arab Muslim Slave Trade can easily be considered one of the most devastating events to happen to the African people and its population. The Arab Muslim Slave Trade consisted of six major slave routes that took place across the Sahara Dessert, the Red Sea,
It is reasonable to assume that two-humped pack camels were used from the beginning by travelers along the Silk Road. Once they got to Mesopotamia, however, they must have suffered terribly from summer heat. Yet summer was the most likely time of arrival because the several-month journey from northern China usually began in the fall, when the camels were in best condition after a summer of grazing (William/ Spielvogel 251).
Ibn Battuta was one of the greatest travelers of ancient history. He was a Moroccan scholar who widely ventured the medieval world. Ibn Battuta's urge to travel was due to the interest of finding the best teachers and the best libraries, as well as making the pilgrimage to Mecca known as hajj, out of eagerness and devotion to his faith. His journey began in 1325 at just the age of 21, Ibn Battuta rode out of Tangier with a donkey unassisted with alms of gold and woolen cloth. During Ibn Battuta's travel, Islamic civilizations stretched from the Atlantic coast of Africa to Southeast Asia, which has constituted the Dar-Al Salam. Ibn Battuta’s voyage begins in his home place Morocco and continued on to Arab Mashreq, Arabian Peninsula, Persia, Iraq, East Africa, Anatolia, Central Asia, South Asia, China, Southeast Asia, Al-Andalus, Mali Empire and West Africa. Throughout his travels Ibn Battuta told more about himself, the people he met and the importance of the positions he held. In social characteristics, Ibn Battuta was able to give an insight of gender roles throughout countries, and distinctly state the different roles in marriages and ceremonies. In political characteristics, Ibn Battuta was appointed a Judge with a significant recognition, creating laws and decided cases in a court of law. In cultural characteristics, Battuta outlines the different traditions and customs of cultures he experienced throughout his travel. Lastly, in economic characteristics, Battuta