Trade and Interaction: Indian Ocean Trade and the Umayyad and Abbasid Empires.

1. Trade and Interaction:Indian Ocean Trade and the Umayyad and Abbasid Empires. By Sam Sherman, Steve Ruggiero, John Tumolo, Daniel Ladner, Justin Tufaro and Anthony Kim

2. The Umayyad Caliph (661-750) • The Umayyads, led by Abu Sufyan, were merchants of the Quraysh tribe that tried to enter Mecca. • After adopting the religion of Islam, and winning a civil war, Abu Sufyan’s son, Mu’awiyah, established himself as the first Umayyad caliph. -United the Bedouin tribes to Islamic faith -Conquered surrounding nations including Byzantium and Persia. Military aristocracy administered the conquered and controlled wealth.

3. The Abbasid Caliph (661-750) • Abu al-Abbas utilized Persian dissent and political conflicts to rebel against the Umayyads. • Conquered people were allowed into gov. posts. • Military aristocracy weakened • Became cosmopolitan (administrative). • Developed infrastructure

4. The Indian Ocean Trade • The Indian Ocean was the largest trading network up until the 17th century. • It connected East Asia to West Asia. • Trade was made easy with the help of monsoon winds. • Contributed greatly to global economy. • Extended from east Asia through into to East Africa.

6. Why is the Indian Ocean historically significant? • The Indian Ocean trade was significant because of its location. • Because of its location it was able to achieve cross cultural trade. • As a result of the Indian Ocean trade basin production of cotton clothes increased as well as specialized production of sugar, leather, stone and carpet. • Due to the often rough ocean conditions caused by monsoon winds, dhows and junks were used to trade and travel. • It was the largest trade network until the 17th century.

7. Interactions Between the Two • Exports: spices from southeast Asia, incense and horses from Arabia, and pepper and cotton textiles from India- • Imports: gold, ivory, and slaves from Africa, and silk and porcelain from China • Trade of horses, salt, and cotton brought Islam to East Africa • Invention and of spread of the use of dhows allowed Muslims to travel the Indian Ocean quickly and efficiently

8. Why did these interactions occur? • These interactions because of the expansions and conquests of the Abbasid and Umayyad dynasties. • During the Umayyad dynasties the conquests of North Africa, the first and second siege of Constantinople, the conquest of Hispania and the conquest of Georgia, the Islamic/ Arabic world was expanded greatly. • By the end of the Abbasid dynasty, the Islamic Empire stretched from the Indian sub-continent to the Pyrenees.

9. Why are these interactions historically significant? • The interactions between the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties and the Indian Ocean trade was a major contributor to the spread of Islam. Even today, Islam is still a large religion with millions of worshippers.

10. Quiz Time • Name one way that the Indian ocean was historically significant. • What were methods of transportation used to cross Indian Ocean? • Name the two Islamic caliphs that were mentioned in this power point presentation. • Name one way how the interactions between the Islamic world and the Indian ocean occurred.