The Arab Slave Trade

The Arab slave traders relied on the Indian Ocean monsoon winds during the slave trade. Indian Ocean was regarded as an important route since it connected East Africa to the outside world, including India Peninsula. The Arabs, precisely from the Gulf of Persia, used the Indian Ocean route since it linked the East African region to the potential clients of the Arab Merchants. They mostly resided on some parts of North Africa, including Egypt, Morocco, and among others. Again, the Indian Ocean shore connected with the Red Sea that was a pivotal route for delivering slaves to North Africa who were in demand during the 18th Century. The slave trade was the main active activity of the Arabs at around 7th Century after the arrival of the Portuguese …show more content…
Arab traders considered Islam as their religion. They believed in the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the Hadith. Some of the Arabs settled along the East African coastline such as Mombasa, and continued practicing their Islamic religion. The Islamic religion expanded across East Africa region, precisely in Yao and the Buganda land situated in the contemporary Uganda. Those who embraced the Arab religion were considered as Muslims based on the Islamic principles. Moreover, the principal mosques were established as the places of worship in the African Great lakes. The Muslim settlement demonstrated the prevailing socio-cultural and economic structures of the contemporary established society. The recent emerging society introduced by the Arabs symbolized essential characteristics. It symbolized the Islamic natural laws, cultural and religious beliefs of the Islamic …show more content…
The Mogadishu city state experienced autonomous growth after the events of Arab slave trade. In Kenya, there were Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa city states that experienced massive growth from the Arab slave trade. In Tanzania, there was Kilwa city that followed the similar growth pattern to its neighbouring city states. These city states emerged from the agricultural villages that generated goods on small scale. Gradually, the local villages strengthened their agricultural economies to produce goods for trading. Again, more wealth was generated on the exclusive merchant class. The city states transported natural resources to the outside Africa that strengthened trade the Africa Diaspora. The local traders obtained ivory from the south, and myrrh from the North Africa region. Mogadishu enhanced their local textile industry, and kilwa obtained copper from the nearby