AFRICAN AND EXTERNAL WORLD
EARLY CONTACTS WITH THE MIDDLE
EAST AND FAR EAST
The contacts
with the middle east and far east began as early as 200BC. The early
foreigners to visit the African coast were people from Asia including
countries like Syria, Arabia, India, Burma, Thailand, China, Spice
Islands and Egypt from North Africa
ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL MOTIVES OF THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE FAR
AFRICA.
- TRADE ACTIVITES
The
traders were interested to control trade along the African coast. The
environment of East Africa coast through Indian ocean attracted the
traders. The accessibility of East African coast by the sea enable
the coastal societies to make commercial contact with the outside
world. The commercial contact covered the whole area East Africa
Coast via Sofala.
Also the natural harbour attracted the traders to settlement at the
coast. Monsoon winds helped people from Asia to reach East Africa,
South West monsoon winds blow ships to African coast between November
and April while North East Monsoon between May-Oct would take them
back to their countries.
Items from middle East and far East African coast were cotton cloth,
silk, porcelain, glassware, beads,daggers, swords, ornaments, wheat,
wine, rice,coconuts, dates, etc.
From East Africa they obtained valuable such as animal skins,
rhinoceros horns, Ivory, Gold , Cowries shell, Copper, Bee wax, honey
and slaves.
II)EXPLORATION/INVESTIGATION
OF AFRICA
The
people from middle East and Far East were interested to know about
the East Africa coast. Example Accessibility of the coast and market
for their goods.
They were also interested to find different goods which were needed
in Asia.
The exploration done in Africa was recorded in Different books and
were the major sources of information attracted people from outside
to come to Africa.
III)THE
NEED OF SPREADING ISLAM
Some
visitors come to spread the Islamic religion in Africa. The Islamic
religion was spread from 7th
C and spread to other parts through the Holly wars known as “JIHADS”.
The war resulted into more prosperous of Islamic Kingdom of Empires.
Many muslims Arabs from middle East and far East visited African
coast aiming to Islamising the African people.
- SEARCHING OF NEW TRADIN CENTERS/SETTLEMENT
Early
visitors were interested to establish settlement along the East
African coast and the horn of Africa in order to control the trade.
During
10th
C and 11th
C they began to penetrate the Awash Valley towards the highlands of
Ethiopia. The Muslims Arabs managed to set up small trading
settlements which they used to link the external trade to interior
trade, later they attracted other traders to come and settle in the
Coast.
THE MAP
THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF THE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA, THE
MIDDLE EAST AND FAR EAST.
I)EMERGENCE
OF SWAHILI LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Bantu
and Arabs traders were in contact and each group used their own
language during communication. Later on new language was formed known
as SWAHILI which is a mixture of Bantu language and Arabic language.
As time went on the coast people formed new style of life known as
“SWAHILI CULTURE”.
II)SPREAD OF
ISLAMIC RELIGION AND CULTURE
The
Islamic religion was spread in the coastal of East Africa and later
on to the interior peacefully. The coastal towns were ruled by
Islamic religion under the Islamic law (SHARIA). Islamic religion
mosques were built and festival were held. The Quran and the Islamic
law (SHARIA) became the legal system of coastal towns.
The African women began to wear long robes and cover their hairs and
faces with veils while man started to wear robes and turbans. Also
they started eating rice and foods full of spices using porcelain
bowers .etc.
- GROWTH OF CITY STATES AND TOWNS
Several towns were formed in the coastal areas. Mostly endowed with
good natural harbor while other were located in the Island. Example
of these towns and cities were Mogadishu, Pemba, Mombasa, Pate, Lamu,
Malindi, Mafia , Kilwa and etc.
COASTAL CITY
STATES:
MAP
- DEPOPULATION/WARFARE
The contact between the Africa Middle East and Far East resulted to
the slave trade and slavery. Number of African were captured and sold
as slaves. The rest of the societies lived in fear because of
continuous wars to capture slaves.
THE ECONOMIC
EFFECT OF THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE AFRIC THE FAR EAST AND THE MIDDLE
EAST.
I)EMERGENCY
OF RICH CLASS
II)EXPOSED AFRICA TO WORLD ECONOMY
Through the trade contacts of Africa,
Middle East and far East Africa was exposed to external world. Africa
integrated in the world economy by supplying different commodities
which were highly needed in the outside world.
III)EXPOITATION OF AFRICANS
RESOURCES.
Due to the increase of demand of
commodities such as ivory, Gold , Copper, Iron, animal skin and
slaves African resources were exploited and exported at large
quantities outside of Africa.
IV)LOSS OF MAN POWER
Capture of able bodied people as
slaves reduced African man power. The aged (old) weak and children
were only left hence loss of labor needed for production. Death as a
result of starvation led to depopulation which caused under
development to most parts of Africa.
V)DECLINE OF HAND CRAFTS INDUSTRIES
The importation of different goods
from Asia eg. Cotton, Clothes, Food, Utensils, Porcelain etc. Led to
the decline of African industries like bark clothe industries.
- INTRODUCTION OF NEW CROPS
These new crops were imported from the
middle and far East provided food staffs as well as cash crops.
Example Coconut, Palm, Rice, Millet, Wheat,Cloves, Sugar cane and
fruits such as mangoes, dates bananas, grapes etc.
- INTRODUCTION OF NEW ARTS AND CRAFTS
By the 15th C various items
where introduced in Africa and villages were transformed from simple
to complex towns. These towns developed due to different building
styles from Asia and Arabian countries, the art of writing navigation
and money was also introduced during this period.
TO BE CONTINUED:
THESE NOTES HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY
TEACHER SOSPETER THOMAS famously known
as MWL SOS
PHONE NO: +255753008862,+255655006288,
LOCATED: EMARX TRAINING CENTER, SABA
SABA, DODOMA.
HE IS COMPETENT, EXPIRIENCED AND FULLY
CAPABLE OF TEACHING HISTORY
OTHER NOTES PREPARED BY MWL SOS
ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIAL ECONOMY NATIONALISM AND DECOLONIZATION IN AFRICA
AFRICA AND THE EXTERNAL WORLD
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