East African trade route - Essay Example

East African Trade Route Africa’s History originates from the growth and development of the slave trade. The establishment of major trade routes serves as major links to other territories within African and the outside the continent. The earliest population of Greeks and roman merchants influenced the rise of trading communities on the eastern coast. As a result, several cities developed as large trading centers serving the immediate mixed population at the coast. The influence from the trade routes significantly generated a rise of powerful city-states and the rapid development of the historic slave trade.

Other effects of the trade routes include a cultural interaction from diverse traditions. The evidence to the effects of the trade routes includes the development of the Swahili culture and language. The historic period dates to the year 600 A.D. This paper will analyze the emergence and growth of the slave trade. The analysis context will entail the associated contribution of the trade routes to the history of Africa. The development of the power states in the East African cost emerged from the conquest of the Nubian population by the Axum kingdom (Shillington 191).

The Axum king absorbed Christianity as a religion by converting. A later detest by Islam led to the fall of the Axum kingdom. This change followed by the spread of Islam along the states. A later development consisted of single caravans that supplied raw materials and merchandise to India through the Persian Gulf. As a result, the Portuguese spread Christianity to the African countries through the same trade routes (Gilbert & Jonathan 211). The Portuguese demanded manpower to work in Latin America states.

This requirement activated the lucrative slave trade along the East African trade route. The trade attracted other states like the Dutch and the Brutish powers. The two states ventured into the East African route under separate mandates. The East African trade route served as a major operation line for nations from other continents. The water channel provided a direct route of caravans transporting gold from Zimbabwe and slaves from the coastline states. The trade route also served as a reinforcement channel for military expeditions from Goa in India.

The British also used the trade route to conquer some of the African states like Kenya. The trade routes enabled the spread of Christianity by the Portuguese into the interior parts of Africa. The water channels aided in the expedition of African formerly referred to as the Dark Continent (Visonà 178). The history of Africa, originates from the analysis of the east African trade route. Arising powerful rulers like the Omani Arabs gained power through the control of the trade routes. The trade centers established varied communities and interaction of populations along the trade routes.

Africa’s political struggle developed because of the trade routes. The trade routes exhibited the African culture, population and settlement schemes. As such, Africa’s political structure highlighted the individual state ability among internal leaderships. The East African trade route is significant in the description of Africa’s population origin and development. Works CitedGilbert, Erik, and Jonathan T. Reynolds. Africa in World History. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education, 2011. Print.Visonà, Monica B.

A History of Art in Africa. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001. Print.Shillington, Kevin. History of Africa. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print.