Chapter 15 Notes

CHAPTER 15

Tropical Africa and Asia, 1200–1500

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Tropi ropica call Land Landss and and Peop People less A0. The The Trop Tropica icall Envir Environm onment ent 10. The tropica tropicall zone falls falls between between the the Tropic Tropic of of Cancer in in the north north and the the Tropi Tropicc of Capricorn in the south. The Afro-Asian tropics have a cycle of rainy and dry seasons dictated by the alternating winds known as monsoons. 20. While While those parts parts of the tropics tropics such as coastal coastal West West Africa Africa,, west-central west-central Africa, Africa, and southern India get abundant rainfall, there is also an arid zone extending across northern Africa (the Sahara) and northwest India, and another arid zone in southwestern Africa. Africa. Altitude also affects climate, with high-altitude mountain ranges and plateaus having cooler weather and shorter growing seasons than the low-altitude coastal plains and river valleys. Major rivers bring water fro m these mountains to other areas. B0. B0. Huma Human n Ecos Ecosy ystem stemss 10. Human Human societies societies adopted adopted diff different erent means means of survivi surviving ng in order order to fit fit into the the different ecological zones found in the tropics. In areas such as central Africa, the upper altitudes of the Himalayas, and some seacoasts, wild food and fish was so abundant that human societies thrived without having developed agricultural or herding economies. 20. Human Human communitie communitiess in the the arid areas areas of the tropics tropics relied relied on herdin herding g and supplemented their diets with grain and vegetables obtained through trade with settled agriculturalists. agriculturalists. The vast majority of the people of the tropics were farmers who cultivated various crops (rice, wheat, sorghum millet, etc.) depending on the conditions of soil, climate, and water. water. 30. In those those parts parts of South South and Southea Southeast st Asia Asia that that had ample ample water water supplies, supplies, intensive agriculture transformed the environment and supported dense  populations. In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa and many parts of Southeast Asia, farmers abandoned their fields every few years and cleared new areas by cutting and burning the natural vegetation. 40. The tropics tropics have have an uneven uneven distr distribut ibution ion of rainfal rainfalll during during the year year.. In order order to have year-round access to water for intensive agriculture, tropical farming societies constructed dams, irrigation canals, and reservoirs. 50. In India, India, Cambodia Cambodia,, and Sri Lanka, Lanka, governme governments nts mobiliz mobilized ed vast resou resources rces to construct and maintain large irrigation and water-control projects. Such huge  projects increased production, but they were highly vulnerable to natural disasters and political disruptions. In contrast, the smaller irrigation systems constructed at the village level were easier to reconstruct and provided greater  long-term stability. C0. C0. Mine Minera rall Reso Resour urce cess 10. Tropica Tropicall peoples peoples used iron iron for agricultu agricultural ral implement implements, s, weapons, weapons, and needles. needles. Copper, particularly important important in Africa, was used to make wire and decorative objects. Africa Africa was also known for its production of gold. 20. Metalworki Metalworking ng and food-pr food-produc oducing ing systems systems mobil mobilized ized the the labor of of ordinary ordinary  people in order to produce surpluses that in places supported powerful states and

 profitable commercial systems. Neither of those elite enterprises would have  been possible without the work of ordinary people. II0. II0. New New Isl Islam amic ic Empir Empires es A0. Mali Mali in the Western estern Sudan Sudan 10. Islam spread spread to to sub-Sahara sub-Saharan n Africa Africa by a gradua graduall process process of peaceful peaceful conver conversion sion.. Conversion was facilitated by commercial co mmercial contacts. 20. In 1240 1240 Sundiata Sundiata (the (the Muslim Muslim leader leader of the Malink Malinkee people) people) establishe established d the kingdom of Mali. Mali’s economy rested on agriculture and was supplemented  by control of regional and trans-Saharan trading routes and by control of the gold mines of the Niger headwaters. 30. The Mali Mali ruler Mansa Mansa Kankan Kankan Musa Musa (r. (r. 1312–1337 1312–1337)) demonstra demonstrated ted his fabul fabulous ous wealth during a pilgrimage to Mecca. When he returned to Mali, Mansa Musa established new mosques and Quranic schools. 40. The kingdom kingdom of Mali declin declined ed and collaps collapsed ed in the mid mid to late late fifteenth fifteenth century century  because of rebellions from within and attacks from without. Intellectual life and trade moved to other African states, including the Hausa states and KanemBornu. B0. The The Delhi Delhi Sultan Sultanate ate in Indi Indiaa 10. Between Between 1206 1206 and 1236 1236 the divide divided d states states of northwes northwestt India were were defeated defeated by violent Muslim Turkish conquerors under the leadership of Sultan Iltutmish, who established the Delhi Sultanate as a Muslim state. Although the Muslim elite then settled down to rule India relatively peacefully, peacefully, their Hindu subjects never  forgave the violence of the conquest. 20. Iltutmish Iltutmish passed passed his throne throne on to to his daught daughter, er, Raziya. Raziya. Raziya Raziya was was a talented talented ruler, but she was driven from office by men unwilling to accept a female monarch. Under Ala-ud-din (r. 1296–1316) and Muhammad ibn Tughluq (r. 1325–1351), the Delhi Sultanate carried out a policy of aggressive territorial expansion that was accompanied (in the case of Tughluq) Tughluq) by a policy of religious toleration toward Hindus—a policy that was reversed by Tughluq’s successor. 30. In general, general, the the Delhi Delhi sultans sultans ruled ruled by terror terror and were were a burden burden on their their subject subjects. s. In the mid-fourteenth century internal rivalries and external threats undermined the stability of the Sultanate. The Sultanate was destroyed when Timur sacked Delhi in 1398. III0. III0. Indian Indian Ocean Ocean Trad Tradee A0. A0. Mons Monsoo oon n Mari Marine ners rs 10. The Indian Indian Ocean Ocean trade trade increased increased betwee between n 1200 and and 1500, 1500, stimulated stimulated by the  prosperity of Latin Europe, Asian, and African states and, in the fourteenth century, century, by the collapse of the overland trade routes. 20. In the the Red and and Arabia Arabian n Seas, Seas, trade was carried carried on dhows. dhows. From India India on on to Southeast Asia, Asia, junks dominated the trade routes. 30. Junks Junks were technolo technological gically ly advanced advanced vessels, vessels, having having watertig watertight ht compartment compartments, s, up to twelve sails, and carrying carr ying cargoes of up to 1,000 tons. Junks were developed in China, but during the fifteenth century, junks were also built in Bengal and Southeast Asia and sailed with crews from those places. 40. The Indian Indian Ocean Ocean trade trade was decentr decentralize alized d and cooperat cooperative, ive, with with various various region regionss supplying particular goods. In each region a certain port functioned as the major  emporium for trade in which goods fro m smaller ports were consolidated and shipped onward. B0. Africa Africa:: The Swah Swahili ili Coas Coastt and Zimb Zimbabw abwee 10. By 1500, 1500, there there were thirty thirty or forty forty separat separatee city-stat city-states es along along the East East Africa African n coast participating in the Indian Ocean trade. The people of these coastal cities,

the “Swahili” people, all spoke an African language enriched with Arabic and Persian vocabulary. 20. Swahili Swahili cities, cities, includi including ng Kilwa, Kilwa, were famous famous as as exporters exporters of gold gold that that was mined mined in or around the inland kingdom whose capital was Great Zimbabwe. 30. Great Zimbabw Zimbabwe’ e’ss economy rested rested on agricul agriculture, ture, cattle cattle herding herding,, and trade. trade. The city declined due to an ecological crisis brought on by deforestation and overgrazing. C0. Arabia Arabia:: Aden Aden and and the Red Sea 10. Aden had had enough enough rainfall rainfall to produ produce ce wheat for export export and a locati location on that made made it a central transit point for trade from the Persian Gulf, East Africa, Africa, and Egypt. Aden’s Aden’s merchants prospered on this trade and built what appeared to travelers to  be a wealthy and impressive city. 20. In general, general, a common common interes interestt in trade trade allowed allowed the the various various peoples peoples and relig religions ions of the Indian Ocean basin to live in peace. Violence did sometimes break out, however, as when Christian Ethiopia fought with the Muslims of the Red Sea coast over control of trade. D0. India: India: Guja Gujarat rat and and the Malab Malabar ar Coast Coast 10. The state state of Gujarat Gujarat prosp prospered ered from the Indian Indian Ocean Ocean trade, trade, exportin exporting g cotton cotton textiles and indigo in return for gold and silver. silver. Gujarat was not simply a commercial center; it was also a manufacturing center that produced textiles, leather goods, carpets, silk, and other commodities. Gujarat’s overseas trade was dominated by Muslims, but Hindus also benefited. 20. Calicut Calicut and other other cities cities of the the Malabar Malabar Coast Coast exported exported cotton cotton textile textiless and spices spices and served as clearing-houses for long-distance trade. The cities of the Malabar  Coast were unified in a loose confederation whose rulers were tolerant of other  religious and ethnic groups. E0. Southe Southeast ast Asia: Asia: the the Rise Rise of of Malacc Malaccaa 10. The Strait Strait of of Malacca Malacca is the the principa principall passage passage from the Indian Indian Ocean to to the South China Sea. In the fourteenth century a gang of Chinese pirates preyed upon the strait, nominally under the control of the Java-based kingdom of  Majapahit. 20. In 1407, 1407, the forces forces of the the Ming dynasty dynasty crushe crushed d the Chinese Chinese pirate pirates. s. The Muslim Muslim ruler of Malacca took advantage of this to exert his domination over the strait and to make Malacca into a major port and a center of trade. IV0. Social Social and Cultural Cultural Change Change A0. Architectu Architecture, re, Learning, Learning, and Religion Religion 10. Commercial Commercial contacts contacts and and the spread spread of Islam Islam led to to a variety variety of of social social and cultural changes in which local cultures incorporated and changed ideas, customs and architectural styles from other civilizations. African African and Indian mosques are good examples of the synthesis of Middle Eastern and local architectural styles; in Ethiopia, a native tradition of rock carving led to the construction of eleven churches carved from solid rock. 20. In the field field of educati education, on, the spread spread of of Islam brough broughtt literacy literacy to African African peoples peoples who first learned Arabic and then used the Arabic script to write their own languages. In India literacy was already established, but the spread of Islam  brought the development of a new Persian-influenced language (Urdu) and the   papermaking technology. 30. As it spread spread to Africa Africa,, India, and South Southeast east Asia, Asia, Islam also also brought brought with with it the study of Islamic law and administration ad ministration and Greek science, mathematics, and medicine. Timbuktu, Timbuktu, Delhi and Malacca were two new centers of Islamic learning.

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Islam spread spread peacefu peacefully; lly; forced forced convers conversions ions were were rare. rare. Muslim dominat domination ion of  trade contributed to the spread of Islam as merchants attracted by the common moral code and laws of Islam converted and as Muslim merchants in foreign lands established households and converted their local wives and servants. The Islamic destruction of the last center of Buddhism in India contributed to the spread of Islam in that country. 50. Islam brough broughtt social social and cultura culturall changes changes to the the communiti communities es that conver converted, ted, but but Islam itself was changed, developing differently in African, Indian, and Indonesian societies. B0. Social Social and Gender Gender Distin Distincti ctions ons 10. The gap gap between between elites elites and the the common people people widened widened in tropical tropical socie societies ties as the wealthy urban elites prospered from the increased Indian Ocean trade. 20. Slavery Slavery increased increased in both both Africa Africa and in in India. An estimate estimated d 2.5 million million African African slaves were exported across the Sahara and the Red Sea between 1200 and 1500, while more were shipped from the cities of the Swahili coast. 30. Most slaves slaves were were trained trained in specif specific ic skills; skills; in some some cases, cases, heredita hereditary ry military military slaves could become rich and powerful. Other slaves worked at hard menial jobs like copper mining, while others, particularly women, were e mployed as household servants and entertainers. The large number of slaves meant that the  price of slaves was quite low. 40. While While there is is not much much informati information on on possib possible le changes changes in the the status status of women in the tropics, some scholars speculate that restrictions on women were eased somewhat in Hindu societies. Nonetheless, early arranged marriage was the rule for Indian women, and they were expected to obey strict rules of fidelity and chastity. 50. Women’s omen’s status status was generally generally determin determined ed by the status status of their their male masters masters.. However, However, women did practice ccertain ertain skills other than child rearing. These included cooking, brewing, farm work, and spinning. 60. It is diffic difficult ult to tell tell what what effect effect the spread spread of Islam Islam might might have had had on women. women. It is clear that in some places, such as Mali, Muslims did not adopt the Arab  practice of veiling and secluding women.