650 C.E to 1750 C.E

Commerce in the Indian Ocean region from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E. was a significant part of world history. In that time there were many changes in commerce, such as the increase in European involvement. There were also many things that stayed the same, such reliance on monsoons and the products being traded.

There were many things that stayed the same in Indian Ocean commerce from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E. One thing that stayed the same was reliance on monsoons. Monsoons are strong seasonal winds that are present in the Indian Ocean region. Throughout this entire time period monsoons affected trade because they dictated when merchant ships could sail in and out of the area. Another thing that stayed the same was the goods that were being traded. Gold and silver were two products that were transported to India while things such as textiles were transported from India to the east coast of Africa. Spices and manufactured goods were also staples of Indian Ocean commerce.

There were also many changes in Indian Ocean commerce from 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E. One change was that different empires controlled the region in that time frame. For example, for a long period of time the region was controlled by the Portuguese, but during the early 17th century the British and Dutch became involved in trade in the region. The British and Dutch overthrew the Portuguese and gained control of the region.