Indian Ocean Region

In the time period between 650 C.E. and 1750 C.E., the Indian Ocean region continued to be a place of commerce that was economically beneficial for countries that traded and exchanged raw materials and ideas. Economically, the Indian Ocean trade stayed the same with the spread of goods from one place to another, but changed because of the process goods were traded along the trade route. In cultural terms, the Indian Ocean trade stayed the same because of the same constant spread of religion and ideas, but also changed because of the spread of dominant religions already in some places. In the political aspect, the Indian Ocean trade stayed the same by growing while being successful under the control of various massive empires, and changed because of the change of which empires controlled the trade.

In conclusion, you can see that the global flow of silver effected Europe and Asia both economically and socially. Economically, because it hurts Spain’s economy, caused inflation of China’s products in Philippines, and how much the Portuguese benefited. Also, it showed how eventually Europe realized that’s it’s not getting anything that will last, and giving the good stuff to Asia (mercantilism). Socially, the documents showed repeatedly traditions and customs being broken. An example is how instead of paying with products/ animals to dye clothing they have to pay in silver, and breaking the tradition in document 3. Also it shows a change in social behavior.

An additional document I would use was the viewpoint of the merchants. I would like to see how the global flow of silver affected them, if some were more affected by it than others. Also, how it would have affected their wealth and how it affected them socially.