The Indian Ocean trade was the world's richest maritime trading network. Why was it important, and how did it develop? What technologies made the trade network a success? Did Islam play a role? Why could it be described as "decentralized and cooperative"? Be sure to include the various goods, peoples, and lands involved

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
Students should conclude that the Indian Ocean region was the world's richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion. The reason for the expansion of this maritime trade was the rising prosperity of Asian, European, and African states and the resulting demand for luxury goods, such as jewelry, precious metals, and fine textiles. Another reason was the Mongol conquest of the thirteenth century, which disrupted overland trade and therefore made the Indian Ocean trade more strategically important. Students should be able to describe the two legs of the trading route. Improvements in seafaring technology allowed increasingly larger cargoes, which resulted in bulk goods being shipped enormous distances. Students should discuss how the dhow and the junk were important to the development of the network. They should understand how the long-distance trade helped spread Islam, uniting diverse peoples throughout the region through commercial cooperation, not political authority. The trade also connected peoples from eastern Asia to Europe. Students should mention the different regions and peoples involved in the trade, including East Africa, Arabia, India, and Malacca.