Consider East Africa and its extensive trade route. Why is it Essay

Consider East Africa and its extensive trade route. Why is it important What does it say about the impact of Africa in the world What does it say about ancient Africa Pick your one focus, go deep - Essay Example Aksum and the Swahili Coast were the first to be mentioned as the important trade regions. The coast of East Africa is a part of extensive trade networks throughout the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Aksum was located in Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is remembered for its splendid stone monuments, gold coins, and elaborate palaces (Ade-Ajayi 80). In the sixth century, the Aksumite kings extended their empire to the southern Arabia. International trade developed in that region where markets were established in urban areas concentrated along the coast regions full of wealth and power. The merging of Arab, African and Indian peoples along the coast of East Africa produced Kiswahili language and Swahili culture. Ivory, gold and slaves were the goods that were traded globally along the Swahili coast. The negative effect of the existence of the East African trade route was the slave trade. The slave trade was conducted by both Europeans and Arabs. European slave traders came in the 17th century, taking the African slaves into the islands of America and Indian Ocean. The slave trade in Africa caused social disruptions among people, depopulation of certain regions, and increasing of violence, as a result, of firearms trade (Ade-Ajayi 85). The slave trade ended later resulted to a justification for European colonizing the East Africa. Europeans began exploring East Africa in the 15th century. Vasco de Gama and other Portuguese explorers started the connection between the Europe and African Coast that later lead to centuries of trade and domination of Africa by Europeans. Other explorers came later including Christian missionaries. When the slave trade was deemed as illegal, Europeans had engaged into other types of trade (Ade-Ajayi 89). The industrial revolution in Europe needed cheap raw materials for its factories in which East African colonies provided large quantities of agricultural goods,