Chapter 13: Tropical Africa and Asia, 1200-1500
Learning Objectives:
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Discuss how the peoples of the tropics adapted to their environments, what specific
techniques or innovations helped them survive, and how certain features of Africa and
South Asia united the two regions.
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Describe the process by which trade was carried out on the Indian Ocean, who
participated, what kinds of vessels were used, what goods were exchanged, and who
benefited from the system.
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Explain how Islam affected different societies in regard to economics, education, status
of women and architecture.
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Explain how the similarities and differences among the regions of Africa, the Middle
East, India, and Southeast Asia affected their political, economic, and social systems, and
how the adoption of Islam influenced them differently depending on their circumstances.
Identifications:
Define each term and explain why it is significant, including any important dates.
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tropics
Ibn Battuta
monsoon
Delhi Sultanate
farming
gold
Mali
Delhi
Mansa Musa
Gujarat
Raziya
dhow
junks
Swahili Coast
Great Zimbabwe
Aden
Malacca
Urdu
Timbuktu
Slaves
Change Over Time:
1. How did the peoples of the tropics adapt to their environments? What specific techniques
or innovations helped them survive?
2. Describe the systems of extensive and intensive agriculture. What environmental,
technological, and social factors influenced people to choose one system over the other.
What advantages and disadvantages did each have?
3. Describe the process by which trade was conducted on the Indian Ocean. Who
participated, what kinds of vessels were used, what goods were exchanged, and who
benefited from the system?
4. Discuss how Islam affected economics, education, the status of women, and architecture
in the different societies it encountered.
5. How did Islam change as it spread throughout the Indian Ocean basin and into subSaharan Africa?
Map Exercises:
On Outline Map 13.1, mark the wind direction of the two monsoon seasons.
On Outline Map 13.2, mark the following:
 Swahili Coast
 Great Zimbabwe
 Mali
 Aden
 Timbuktu
 Zeila
Then trace the Portuguese routes of exploration and the Muslim trade routes.
On Outline 13.3, shade in the extent of the Delhi Sultanate in 1236, the Delhi Sultanate in 1335,
and the Delhi Sultanate lands lost in 1335.
On Outline Map 13.4, trace Ibn Battuta’s routes. Then mark the extent of these areas:
 Majapahit Empire
 The Islamic world in 850
 Lands reconquered by Christian kingdoms by 1000
 The Islamic world in 1500
Also plot the following:
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Malacca
Java
Delhi
Gujarat
Focus Questions:
1. What geographic and ecological characteristics of the Indian Ocean Basin facilitated a
trade network before 1500 C.E.? What human developments encouraged the growth of
this trade network as well?
2. To what degree did the Indian Ocean continue the trade network previously developed by
the Mongols, and to what degree did the trade network change or deviate from the
Mongol era?
3. What role did the cities along the Indian Ocean rim play during the period? How does
this role compare to the cities in the American (Chapter 11) or East Asia (Chapter 12)?