CH. 13 TROPICAL AFRICA AND ASIA
Tropical Lands and Peoples
Afro-Asian tropics have cycle of rainy & dry seasons = caused by winds
Africa: west coast rainfall, except in Dec/JanIndian Ocean Monsoons: Dec-March is southern
Asia’s dry season; April-Aug is wet seasonEnvironmental variations from wind, rain,
altitudeRivers redistribute rainfall
Human Ecosystems
• Adaptation essential• Hunting (C.
Africa/Himalyas), fishing (E. Africa/SE Asia), pastoralism (NE Africa/Arabia)
• Farming dominant way of life b/t 1200-1500
• Bananas, yams, coffee to the tropics
• Extensive vs. intensive agriculture: ext = soil exhaustion moved farmers; slash and burn
Water Systems & Irrigation• Uneven distribution of rainfall • Farmers moved water to crops
via conservation• Terraced hillsides; water
storage & irrigation• Largest irrigation systems
were gov’t public works• Crops grown throughout year• Delhi, Ceylon, Angkor • Disruption when gov’ts faltered• Village-based vs. gov’t systems• Iron most abundant; copper/gold in
Africa;
Ibn Battuta• Moroccan Muslim scholar
(1304-1369)• Visited Islamic lands: Dar al
Islam from China to Spain and Western Sudan
• Traveled 73,000 miles; Islam provided safe passage
• Details of the cosmopolitan nature of 14th century Islam
NEW ISLAMIC EMPIRES
Mali and the Delhi Sultanate
Mali
• Islam not forced into western AfricaIslam in Sub-Saharan Africa thru gradual &
peaceful conversion; commercial contactsSundiata established Mali empire 1230sBased on agriculture and trans-Sahara trade,
fostered by IslamGold & Copper trade controlled; prosperity
and power for rulers
Mansa Kankan Musa
• Ruled from 1312-1337• Pilgrimage to Mecca showed Mali’s wealth• Traveled with huge entourage:
Wife and “other ladies” and slaves 60,000 porters and tons of gold
So much gold to Cairo that it depressed its value there for years
The Delhi Sultanate of IndiaCompare Islam in India vs. Islam in West Africa… Turkish dynasty from Central Asia captured Lahore
and Delhi Hindu gods/temples replaced w/ Muslim mosques1206-1236: northern India controlled by Muslim
invaders; looting, enslavement, destruction of Hindus
Brutal conquest turned into benign rulershipHindus protected if paid a tax
The Sultans of Delhiڻ Iltutmish: 1211-1236; recognized by caliph of Baghdad;
consolidated northern Indiaڻ Raziya: Iltut’s daughter; 1236-1240; killed for being a woman,
though more able than anyone to ruleڻ Ala-ud-din Khalji: 1296-1316; frontier raids & high taxes;
seized Gujarat, extended to south Indiaڻ ibn Tughluq: 1325-1351 expansion; religious toleration to win
loyalty of Hindus; ڻ Firuz Shah: 1351-1388; taxed Brahmins and alienated HindusSultanate ruled thru terror & high taxes; conflicts b/t Muslims &
with Hindus led to its downfall
INDIAN OCEAN TRADE
AfricaThe Swahili Coast• Sawahil al-sudan; East
African portion of Indian Ocean trade network
• Mogadishu-Kilwa• Commercial expansion w/
arrival of Arab & Iranian merchants
• Gold in Kilwa passed thru Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe• 1250-1450 peak• Mixed farming & cattle
herding• Gold trade brought great
wealth = had to pass thru GZ to get to Swahili coast and beyond
• Depletion of nearby forests & overgrazing led to decline
Arabia: Aden and the Red Sea• Location ideal for monsoons
and trade w/ India, Persian Gulf, East Africa, Egypt
• Merchants very wealthy• Generally good relations
among diff’t religions and cultures
• Commercial interests above all else
Goods from… India: cotton cloth, beadsSoutheast Asia: spicesArabia/Ethiopia: horses,
slaves, gold,ivoryRed Sea: pearlsCairo: luxury manufacturesHinterland: grain, opium,
dyes
IndiaGujarat: Cambay• Increased trade after land
trade disrupted• Export of cotton
textiles/indigo; gold/silver in return
• Spread Islam to Malacca• Manufacturing: large
markets in Eur, Africa, MEMalabar Coast: Calicut• Rulers tolerant; location key
to trade prosperity• Clearing-houses in long
distance trade; locally grown grains and spices
Southeast Asia: the Rise of Malacca
Geography: eastern end of Indian Ocean & main passage to South China Sea
• Commercial Choke Point!!! Meeting point for tradersPolitical: Malacca became important thru alliances• Subject to Siam (Thailand) and China• Conversion from H to I promoted trade w/ Muslim
merchants• Emporium for SE Asian trade• Cosmopolitan residents; 1500 peak
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE
TIMBUKTU
Architecture, Learning, & Religion
• Islam the major force for change in tropics; most change noticed in urban areas
• Islam blended w/ local styles and resources for mosques• Mosques, churches, temples centers of education; Sub-
Saharan Africa: Islam & literacy together• Timbuktu and Malacca: 1500s major centers of Islamic
learning• Spread of Islam thru example & persuasion; Long-distance
trade/markets• Marriage: merchants were single men who married local
women, thus conversions increased• Rural conversions: some saw forced inequalities of Hinduism
as hopeless; variations in diff’t areas
Social and Gender DistinctionsSlaverySlaveryIndia: product of wars of
expansion (Hindus)Africa: wars of expansion &
export of slavesMost slaves trained in skilled
trades & militarySlaves as servants for wealthy
WomenWomenHindu Sati optional• Status based on male
master- dad, husband, owner
• Not active in commerce, admin, religion
• Food preparation key; brewing for rituals
• Much of farm work; pottery; spinning; selling work in local markets