Download Ch_2_ Sec_ 3P- August 28-29_ 2008

Trade Networks of Africa
and Asia
Chapter 2, Section 3
The Muslim World
• Rise and Spread of Islam
– Early 600’s Islam emerged from Arabia.
Islam’s founder was Muhammad. Followers
are called Muslims. Their sacred book is the
Quran. Their holy city is Mecca.
– Islam spread across North Africa and Spain.
Islam also spread eastward into Persia (Iraq)
and India.
– Islam spread via trade and conquest.
The Muslim World
• Trade Routes
– Muslims traded across a vast (large) area.
– One of the ways Muslims traveled for trade
was across water. Their ships used triangular
sails like those on modern sail boats.
– The captains were experts in wind direction
and weather conditions of the Indian Ocean
(which they used often).
The Muslim World
• Silk Road
– Another way Muslim traders traveled was over land.
Through grasslands, mountains, and deserts of
Central Asia. These land routes were called Silk
Routes because Chinese silks were carried westward
on them for more that 2,000 years.
– What were some of the difficulties Muslim trades
faced? How did they protect themselves?
– Muslims sold porcelains from China, cloth from India,
ivory and gold from East Africa and spices from
Southeast Asia.
African Trading States and
Cultures
• City-States of East Africa
– Trade followed the East African Coast. Why?
– Wealth from all the trade helped East African rulers
build strong city-states.
– Many rulers of the city-states became Muslim.
– How did the language Swahili come about?
• Trading Kingdoms of West Africa
– What covers most of West Africa?
– What were the kingdoms that emerged as a result of
the trade routes?
African Trading States and
Cultures
• Trading Kingdoms of West Africa
– Mali rose around 1200 A.D. and flourished for 200
years. Mali adopted Muslim as their religion.
– Mali’s most famous ruler was Mansa Musa. In 1324
the ruler went to Mecca on the way Musa stopped at
Cairo, Egypt. His wealth amazed the Egyptians.
Rumors of his wealth spread to Europe.
– In the 1400’s, Songhai emerged as the most powerful
kingdom in West Africa.
African Trading States and
Cultures
• Village and Family Life
– Most people lived outside around the kingdoms in
small villages.
– What did they do to make a living?
– Family relationships were and are important in African
Cultures. Extended families lived together. Who did
this include?
– Families were linked via ties of kinship.
– Religious beliefs varies across Africa but there were
many commonalities. What were some of these
similarities?
Chinese Voyages of Trade and
Exploration
• The Great Treasure Fleet
– 1402 Zheng He came to power and wanted
trade in his kingdom.
– He had 300 ships built which carried 28,000
sailors and tons of trade goods. How large
was the largest ship?
– Zheng He made 7 long voyages between
1405 and 1433 to Southeast Asia, India,
Arabia, and East Africa.
Chinese Voyages of Trade and
Exploration
• The Voyages End
– Zheng He’s fleets returned home with great
exotic goods and animals.
– After his death Chinese voyages stopped.
Why?
• What Might Have Been
Independent Work
Pick Two:
• Explain why trade groups flourished in the
Muslim world?
• How did trade and religion link people in the
Muslim world?
• What were some common values that linked the
people of many different African cultures?
• How did China’s emperor encourage overseas
trade in the early 1400’s?
Group Work
• Draw an outline map of Asia and Africa.
Write the name of the country that were
part of trade networks from the 1400’s.