The Indian Ocean trade started as early as Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilizations, though it was only small scale trade it continues to evolve. several centuries later Alexander the great and the Roman Empire used the these routes to trade down the Red Sea. On the other side of the Indian Ocean Malay sailors used the waters to trade with the islands along Indonesia.Trade flourished from 1000 - 1500 for several reasons, the sudden rise of islam in the seventh century and the revival of China. The Abbasid Caliphate allowed a more centralized political system whereas the Chinese revival lead to a better economic system which ultimately means more money for trading and ship building. Another new addition that added to the success of Indian Ocean trade was the monsoon winds. People were able to predict the right weathers to sail in making trade easier and less dangerous. trade diminished slightly after 1200 because land trade was opened up more by the Mongols but quickly spiked back up in the 14th and 15th century. Another sudden change occurred when the Abbasid Caliphate started falling and Portugal took control of the major trade city Swahili around 1500. One reason why there were so many different changes in the empires and people who dominated them was the fact of how long and peaceful the trade
The Indian Ocean trade started as early as Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilizations, though it was only small scale trade it continues to evolve. several centuries later Alexander the great and the Roman Empire used the these routes to trade down the Red Sea. On the other side of the Indian Ocean Malay sailors used the waters to trade with the islands along Indonesia.Trade flourished from 1000 - 1500 for several reasons, the sudden rise of islam in the seventh century and the revival of China. The Abbasid Caliphate allowed a more centralized political system whereas the Chinese revival lead to a better economic system which ultimately means more money for trading and ship building. Another new addition that added to the success of Indian Ocean trade was the monsoon winds. People were able to predict the right weathers to sail in making trade easier and less dangerous. trade diminished slightly after 1200 because land trade was opened up more by the Mongols but quickly spiked back up in the 14th and 15th century. Another sudden change occurred when the Abbasid Caliphate started falling and Portugal took control of the major trade city Swahili around 1500. One reason why there were so many different changes in the empires and people who dominated them was the fact of how long and peaceful the trade