Post on 16-Dec-2015
transcript
Tropical lands and peoplesBecause the angle of the Earth’s axis, the
sun’s rays warm the tropics year roundThe equator is the center of the tropical zone
with the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn marking its outer limits
The Afro-Asian tropics have their own cycle of rainy and dry seasons caused by the chances in wind patterns
In the Indian Ocean region, rainy and dry seasons reflect the influence of monsoons
These wind and rain patterns are responsible for the variations in tropical lands—from deserts to rain forests
Heavy rainfall = natural vegetation is dense tropical rain forest (i.e. West Africa, Southeast Asia)
No rainfall = desert lands (i.e. Sahara Desert)
Lands between deserts and rain forests range from wet woodlands to drier grasslands
Other variations in tropical climate result from altitudethin atmospheres hold less tropical heat than
atmospheres at lower elevations
In the tropics, some people raised domesticated plants and animals, but others, like the Pygmies, relied primarily on wild food that they obtained by hunting, fishing and gathering
From 1200-1500, farming became the dominant way of life for most tropical peoples
Depending on the climate, crops such as rice, grains and legumes were harvested
The spread of farming did not always create permanent changes in the natural environmentShifting cultivation
One of the great challenges of the tropical environment in parts of Asia is the uneven distribution of rainfall during the year
To conserve monsoon rainfall during drier parts of the year communities constructedWater-storage damsIrrigation canalsTerraced hillsides
Village-based irrigation systems were less vulnerable than complex irrigation systems built by governments—if damaged, they bounced back easier
Metalworking was another way to make use of natural resources
Iron was the most abundant of the metals worked in the tropics
In Africa, copper, copper alloys and gold were important exports
Metalworking and food-producing were important to tropical peoples becauseMost people made a successful livelihood
through exploitation of their environmentLabors and skills of ordinary people made the
rise of powerful states and profitable systems possible
New Islamic EmpiresMali in West Africa and Delhi in northern
India were the two largest and richest tropical states of the period between 1200 and 1500
Mali was founded by an indigenous African dynasty that had adopted Islam through the peaceful influence of Muslim merchants and scholars
The Delhi Sultanate of northern India was founded and ruled by invading Turkish and Afghan Muslims
In 1076, Muslim Berbers invaded Ghana, causing it to collapse and the rise of Mali in southern Sudan
Mali, like Ghana, depended on its agriculture and control of the trans-Saharan trade routes
Mali was different from Ghana in two ways:It was much largerRuled by Muslims who encouraged the spread
of IslamUnder the ruler Mansa Musa, Mali’s
reputation for wealth increasedUpon his pilgrimage to Mecca, he built new
mosques and opened Muslim schools
Mansa Musa’s successors proved to be less able rulers
Rebellions broke out among the people and outsiders wanting Mali’s wealth attacked the empire
By 1500, much of Mali had been taken over by various groups and Mali had collapsed
Sudan’s former trade and intellectual life moved east to other African states
Other states started to expand and continued to spread Islam:Hausa states—cotton textilesKanem-Bornu—gained control of Saharan trade
routes
The arrival of Islam in India was more violent—Muslims invaded cities , enslaved and massacred Indians and looted Hindu and Buddhist temples
Between 1206 and 1236, Muslim invaders extended their rule over the princes and chiefs in northern India
The Delhi Sultanate became and official Muslim state which caused Muslim invaders’ to transform from brutal conquerors to somewhat benign rulers
Personal and religious rivalries within the Muslim elite and discontent with the Hindus inevitably caused the end of the Delhi Sultanate
By 1351, all of South India was independent of Delhi’s rule and much of north India was in rebellion
The weakening of Delhi’s control revived Mongol interests in that areaTimur captured and looted Delhi
The Delhi Sultanate helped develop centralized political authority in India
It established a bureaucracy, improved food production, promoted trade and economic growth and established a common currency
Indian Ocean TradeThe world’s richest maritime trading network
at this time, The Indian Ocean routes also helped spread Islam
Trade increased because:The prosperity of Islamic and Mongol empires Demand for luxuries for the wealthy roseLarger ships made shipments of bulk cargoes
possibleCollapse of the Mongol Empire in the 14th
century disrupted overland trade, increasing the Indian Ocean routes importance
The typical cargo and passenger ship of the Arabian Sea was the dhow
It had two distinctive featuresThe hulls were sew together, not nailedTriangular lateen sails made of palm leaves or
cottonCargo and passengers heading to the eastern
half of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea relied traveled on junksThey had been developed in China and
dominated the seasJunks were built from spruce or fir planks
held together with nails
Indian Ocean trade was decentralized and commercial interests, not political authority united these distinct regions
The Swahili Coast supplied gold from inland areas to eastern Africa
The Arabian peninsula supplied horses and goods to the middle East, Mediterranean, and eastern Europe,
India received goods from the east and westThe Strait of Malacca was the meeting point
of trade from Southeast Asia, China and the Indian Ocean
Trade expanded steadily along the East African coast where the people shared a common culture and languageAfrican in grammar and vocabulary by mixed
with Arabic and Persian terms and written in Arabic script
Overtime, these people became known as “Swahili” meaning “shores of the blacks”
Oral traditions associate the Swahili Coast’s commercial expansion with the arrival of Arab and Iranian merchants—attracted by gold
In Arabia, the city of Aden had two advantages which increased tradeMonsoon winds brought enough rainfall to
supply drinking water and helped grow grain for export
Convenient locationMerchants sorted to goods from one place
and would send them out on to anotherCommon commercial interests generally
promoted good relations among the different religions and cultures of this region
In India, the port of Gujarat prospered because of its rich agriculture and long coastline
In 1298, Gujarat was forced into the Delhi Sultanate which had mixed results:the state suffered from the violence of the
initial conquests in India, but prospered from increased trade with Delhi’s wealthy ruling class
The state derived much of its wealth from its export of cotton textiles and indigo to the Middle East and Europe and cotton cloth, carnelian beads, and foodstuffs to the Swahili coast
Gujarat was also important for its commerce
The main passage into the South China Sea was through the Strait of Malacca
As trade increased, this point became the object of political rivalry
The city of Malacca’s port dominated the strait and it grew from a small fishing village into an important port as a result of alliances
Merchants liked Malacca’s security and low taxes and the city served as the meeting point for traders from India and China and an emporium for Southeast Asian trade
Social and Cultural ChangeState growth, commercial expansion, and the
spread of Islam between 1200 and 1500 led to many social and cultural changes of tropical peoples
The spread of Islam was a major influence in the architectural change of urban centersMost places exhibit blends of older traditions
and new influencesMosques, churches, and temples served as
centers of education as well as prayer
Muslims promoted literacy, primarily among their sons, so they could read the religion’s classic texts
Advanced Muslim scholars also studied Islamic law, theology, and administration as well as classical Greek works of mathematics, medicine and science
Changes in architecture and education were results of the spread of Islam as a religion
Islam spread through:Long-distance trade and marketsMarriageUpheavals in different areas
Class structure and the status of some women changed significantly—the gap between the elites and masses widened
With the rising prosperity of the elites, a growth in slavery occurred—most were the product of wars
In Africa, the growth of powerful states led to an increase in domestic slavery, as well as export trade in slaves
The status of slaves varied depending on their skill and sexThey were trained for special purposes, used as
household servants, or women were used as entertainers and concubines
Hindu women continued to suffer from social and religious restrictions
Wives were expected to observe stricter rules of fidelity and chastity than their husbands
A females status was largely determined by the status of her male master—father, husband or owner
They were not permitted to play the kind of active roles in commerce, administration, or religion
Besides child rearing, one of the most widespread female skills was food preparation, especially brewing
Throughout tropical Africa and Asia, women did much of the farm work
They took home heavy loads of food, firewood, and water for cooking balanced on their heads
Other activities included making clay pots and clothing
With the help of the spinning wheel, the cost of making yarn for weaving was reduced, which was an activity done at home
Women of some social classes found their status improved by becoming a part of a Muslim household