Africa And Eurasia Research Paper

During the periods of 300 C.E. to 1450 C.E. the trade between Africa and Eurasia changed immensely in various different aspects from modes of transport, new technologies, and religious spread. Although different technological and cultural aspects changed amongst the two societies, they did maintain the general goods that were being traded, the importance of the Indian Ocean, and the people who benefited from the trade. To begin with, the products that were being exchanged did not change much throughout the 1,100 year period, nor did the people who benefited from the trade. Africa traded salt, spices, ivory, and jewels; while Eurasian exchanged weapons, silk, and alcohol. Similarly, merchants benefited from the trade between the two regions, and they continued to benefit from trade for the years to follow. In brief, the products being traded and the class that benefited remained constant throughout the Afro- Eurasian trade.
In a similar way, the main mode of intercommunication between the Africa and Asia was through the Indian Ocean. The reason for the ocean’s significance was due to the annual monsoons that helped ease the trade voyages between Africa and Asia. While …show more content…
Trade is known to connect people of various backgrounds, beliefs, and religions and such was the case of the Afro- Eurasian trade. Initially, Islamic traders felt more comfortable trading with people who shared similar beliefs, thus, with the help of Islamic missionaries, African city states, such as Swahili, began to convert into Islamic states. This persuaded the Eurasian countries to open up trade with Africa and it is quite evident. For instance, Swahili became the midpoint for the trade between the Middle East and Central Africa because it converted to an Islamic state. In summary, one of the main reasons why the African and Eurasian trade was impactful was due to the cultural diffusion of the Islamic