Indian Ocean

By ms.cowell001
  • 130 BCE

    Han Dynasty in China

    The Silk Road opened trade with the West
  • 500

    Beginings

    Indian Ocean begin to trade with small settlements
  • 851

    Cowry Shells

    Cowry shells also known know as cowries was as money and were traded for food, goods, and services.
  • 1279

    Junk

    sailing vessels and were aerodynamic advance compared to other sailing vessels
  • 1300

    Hangzhou

    Hangzhou was located on the East China Sea making it the natural center of trade. Hangzhou also brought spices from South Asia to China.
  • 1300

    Timbuktu

    was on the Niger River linked North African with region farther south.
  • 1390

    The Strait of Malacca

    Malacca was the shortest path between China and India, local authorities under Malacca sultanate made it a safe trade and travel destination.
  • 1400

    Imports

    Grains were imported from East Africa coast
  • 1400

    Goods

    The cities like Zimbabwe to obtain gold, ivory, and iron
  • 1405

    Chinese

    naval expeditions
  • 1500

    Invasion

    Indian Ocean trade started to decline when Portugal invaded and tried to run the trade for its own profits,
  • 1551

    Astrolabe

    navigation tool to help calculate latitude

  • Disease Zone

    Diseases like the smallpox, plague, influenza, and cholera broke into the Indian trade and became an endemic.