Int'l Commerce, Snorkeling Camels, and The Indian Ocean Trade: Crash Course World History #18

CrashCourse
24 May 201210:15
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe Indian Ocean trade network known as the 'Monsoon Marketplace' connected diverse civilizations across Asia and Africa for centuries. Its predictable seasonal winds enabled regular maritime trade routes carrying valuable goods like spices, textiles, wood, and ivory. This trade spread ideas and technologies while enriching port cities that taxed it. Though merchants, not rulers, largely controlled this trade, some local leaders rose and fell along with it. By spreading Islam and culture, this vast yet mostly peaceful trading network transformed societies across the Indian Ocean basin.

Takeaways
  • 😊 Indian Ocean trade connected diverse civilizations and was bigger and richer than Silk Road trade
  • ⚓️ Predictable monsoon winds enabled regular, lower-risk sailing routes across the Indian Ocean
  • 🚢 Key goods traded included ivory, spices, timber, cloth, weapons, and ideas like Islam
  • 🌊 Port cities like Zanzibar and Mogadishu thrived as trade centers and middlemen
  • 🌴 Swahili coast produced raw materials, SE Asia provided spices, China silk, and Islamic world coffee
  • 🛥 Merchant ships sailed freely without state navies protecting them for 700 years
  • 🕌 Islam spread to Indonesia via Indian Ocean trade routes and merchants
  • 🏙 City-states like Srivijaya relied on trade and declined when it was disrupted
  • 👑 Merchants, not rulers, largely decided terms of trade in the self-regulating market
  • 🌊 Trade can bring wealth but over-reliance leaves polities vulnerable to downturns
Q & A

  • What were some of the major trading centers along the Indian Ocean trade routes?

    -Some of the major trading centers were Zanzibar, Mogadishu, Hormuz, and Canton.

  • Why was the Indian Ocean trade bigger and richer than the Silk Road?

    -The Indian Ocean trade was bigger and richer because it featured a wider range of available resources and import needs, from ivory to timber to books to grain. It also benefited from predictable monsoon winds which facilitated cheaper and lower risk trade.

  • How did the monsoon winds help facilitate trade in the Indian Ocean?

    -The monsoon winds blew predictably between April-September from Africa to India, and November-February from India back to Africa. This predictability allowed traders to reliably plan their voyages and transport goods, lowering risks and costs.

  • Why didn't European traders dominate the Indian Ocean trade?

    -European traders did not participate significantly in the Indian Ocean trade during its heyday between 1000-1500 CE. This is likely one reason it is less famous than the Silk Road trade routes.

  • How did trade spread Islam to regions like Indonesia?

    -As trade flourished between the Islamic world, India and China, local rulers and elites in places like Indonesia adopted Islam to foster economic ties with Muslim merchants who dominated much of the trade.

  • Why was the Malacca Strait strategically important for Indian Ocean trade?

    -The Malacca Strait was a naval chokepoint through which much of the trade between China and India/Southeast Asia passed. Cities like Srivijaya could control and tax traffic through the strait.

  • Why was Indian Ocean trade important for the Swahili city-states and kingdoms like Srivijaya?

    -These small coastal polities relied heavily on taxing passing maritime trade for income and economic growth. However, excessive taxes could divert trade elsewhere.

  • What are some examples of technology transfers that occurred due to Indian Ocean trade?

    -Goods traded included the magnetic compass, astrolabe, improved rudder and sail technologies, and more from China and the Islamic World. These technologies spread widely through trade contacts.

  • Why did Indian Ocean trade undergo declines at certain periods?

    -Trade declined when overland routes via the Silk Road became cheaper and safer under the Mongols. It later declined when Chinese sea trade was curtailed in the 1400s.

  • Why might reliance on trade be a risky foundation for building state power?

    -Global economic fluctuations and changing trade routes mean that trade-based powers rise and fall. Nearby locations can often divert trade through lower taxes if an existing entrepôt starts overcharging.

Outlines
00:00
🎥 Introducing Indian Ocean Trade

John Green introduces the topic of Indian Ocean trade, noting that it was a large and prosperous network connecting diverse civilizations and resources. He explains that it was driven by predictable monsoon winds that enabled regular and relatively safe maritime travel and commerce. The trade declined during the Pax Mongolica as overland Silk Road trade became cheaper but later surged between the 14th-15th centuries.

05:05
👸 The Tale of Queen Kota Rani

John Green tells the dramatic story of Queen Kota Rani of Kashmir to illustrate the trust placed in merchants compared to armies. Kota Rani was tricked by a rival noble disguising his army as merchants. Later she was forced to marry an invading noble and committed suicide after the wedding by offering her intestines to her new husband.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Monsoons
The monsoon winds that bring a rainy season to India and other parts of Asia. They blow in a very predictable seasonal pattern that enabled regular maritime trade routes across the Indian Ocean region. The regularity of the winds made sailing more predictable and lowered risks for merchants.
💡merchants
Traders and business people who facilitated the trade across the Indian Ocean region. They were the main drivers of this trade, not kings and rulers. Muslim merchants dominated much of the trade.
💡Swahili
The Swahili people and cities on the east African coast that participated extensively in Indian Ocean trade. They exported raw materials and imported finished products from around the region.
💡Islam
The religion of Islam spread widely in the Indian Ocean trade region, including places like Indonesia. Muslim identity connected merchants across communities and shaped regional culture and politics.
💡China
China was a major participant in Indian Ocean trade both as an exporter (e.g. of silk) and an importer (e.g. of ivory).
💡technology transfer
New technologies like the magnetic compass and improved sails spread through the trade routes. Besides commercial goods, ideas and innovations also flowed.
💡bulk goods
Everyday goods traded in large volumes, like wood, cotton textiles and food. Enabled more mass consumption compared to luxuries like silk.
💡state power
The trade flourished independent of state military protection. But some rulers like in Srivijaya derived significant income by taxing the busy trade routes.
💡mixing of cultures
The encounters between diverse cultures and religions led to intermixing and adoption of new ideas. Saw spread of Islam in SE Asia and influence of Indian culture.
💡decline
By the 15th century, Indian Ocean trade declined significantly for multiple reasons, showing the vulnerability of networks dependent on commercial flows.
Highlights

Indian Ocean trade was bigger, richer, and featured more diverse players than the Silk Road

The Indian Ocean is home to a set of very special winds called Monsoons that made maritime travel predictable

Predictable winds meant lower risk, cheaper trade, more trade, and more people could have awesome things

For 700 years merchant ships sailed freely without needing protection from any state’s navy

Terms of trade were set by merchants and market demands, not political rulers

Trade incorporated many diverse groups across Africa, Asia and the Middle East

Muslim merchants dominated the western Indian Ocean trade

Merchants, not rulers, were the real movers and shakers

Trade enabled bulk goods to be traded for a mass market, not just elites

Africa exported raw materials, Asia finished goods, Islamic world provided coffee and more

Technology like compasses and triangular sails spread via trade

Islam spread to Indonesia through merchant converts seeking ties

Trade wealth enabled small city-states to arise

Reliance on trade made states vulnerable to economic cycles

Merchants decide where people with funny hats go

Transcripts

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