Trade and Commerce Contributing to the Economy

The pioneering SEANN crew went back in time all the way to the Post-Classical Period, traveling in ships through the Indian Ocean. They learned many things that were important during this epoch like how commerce and the desire people had for goods originating in distant places contributed to the economy of Asia, Africa, India, etc.

While working in the ship, the teamn had asked about the size of the ships, about the goods being traded, and how the trade of goods between distant places contributed to the economy.

The Indian Ocean Trade Network represented the most important and largest sea-based system and it grew out of the environmental and cultural diversities of the region. During its inception and fruition, ships were starting to get bigger in size to make sea transport cheaper and for the people to trade larger amounts of bulk goods so they would save money which contributed to their economy.

The desire people had for goods originating in distant places for example, porcelain from China, spices from Southeast Asia, cotton and pepper from India, ivory and gold from the African coast, also made the economy and trade market expand since many people contributed what they had with the rest of the world. Different types of foods and animals were being seen in places were they had never been before. For instance, the introduction of Champa rice to China really affected how they traded and how they started farming. The Chinese's supplies incremented immensley and they were able to farm in highlands unlike before.

When the SEANN crew eturned from the past back to the present, they couldn't help but notice the many changes and continuities that persisted ever since the Indian Ocean Trade Network.

Some continuities that were noticeable in the Sea Roads were the spread of religions, the trading of different goods, the expansion of the economy, the contribution that the goods of distant places made to their own economy, the proliferation of connecting distant peoples, and of course the fact that even today, the region is one of the most important trading routes. In contrast, Some of the most important changes that happened during the Indian Ocean trade were the rapid technological improvements for navigating, the specialization of goods, the country domination of trade, how colonization techniques emerged, cities becoming more powerful and more important than states, and so on.

It is clear, that the effect of human interaction in the trade and commerce of the Indian Ocean really defined this age of acceleration. The desire for foreign goods, the sense of community established by merchants, and the introduction of new technologies and techniques all contributed greatly to the world that we see today.