The Indian Ocean Region

From 650 C.E. to 1750 C.E., the Indian Ocean region continued to be a major trade area and proved economically beneficial to all countries involved in its trade, while changes in urbanization and cultural diffusion began to spread and change the ways of living in other countries. Regions in and around the Indian Ocean were able to benefit because commerce continued to be extremely important as goods such as spices from India were very beneficial to the economy of many Europeans countries. However, the economy and cultures of many countries such as India and China were changed by influence from European powers, leaving them more westernized and culturally differing from their past selves.

Indian Ocean trade continued to be a major factor in the economies of major from East Asia all the way to European powers such as Spain. This continuity of trade throughout the period was a result of the major influence that Indian Ocean trade had on countries involved in its commerce. Goods from the Indian Ocean such as spices and ivory were extremely important to the luxury economy of many European countries while many staple crops such as potatoes and corn were needed in Southeast Asia and Africa, and Europeans were able to provide these crops in equal numbers especially after the Columbian Exchange introduced these new staple crops to Europe from North America starting in 1492. This trade in goods left both regions more economically wealthy, and a favorable balance in trade for both areas kept the Indian Ocean trade network as powerful as ever during this period.

However, many changes occurred during this period that affected the outlook of Indian Ocean trade from 650-1750 C.E. The most important of these changes was the shift in cultures of many Indian Ocean countries such as China, India, and many eastern coastal African countries were influenced heavily by many of the more powerful European countries and were compelled into changing their own culture.