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Part 2: Zanzibar's Commercial Empire: 1800 to 1880 - AP Central | College Board - 0 views

apcentral.collegeboard.org/...rs-commercial-empire-1800-1880

Lindokuhle Ntseare 222011098 History 2A

shared by ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23 - No Cached
  • Seyyid Said, the sultan of Oman and Zanzibar (1806-1856),
  • Zanzibar's major exports were ivory, slaves, and eventually cloves, but the real "engine" of its transformation was the continuous growth of ivory exports. A very rapid rise in the British demand for ivory in the Bombay market boosted trade between India and the East African ports. The ivory trade was stimulated throughout the century as demand in Europe and America continued to grow. Eastern Africa responded, but supply could not keep up with increasing demand, so that the price of ivory rose throughout the nineteenth century (for the evidence, see Sheriff 1987). In Europe and America ivory was used for piano keys, billiard balls, umbrella and knife handles, and combs.
  • The profits of the ivory trade enriched the coffers of Zanzibar's customs house (revenues doubled between 1804 and 1819) and augmented the capital available to Zanzibar's merchants
  • ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
     
    Zanzibar's commercial empire in the 19th century was built largely on the ivory and slave trade. The port of Zanzibar, located on the island of Unguja, became a major center for the export of ivory to markets in Europe and Asia. The trade brought great wealth to Zanzibar and helped to make it one of the most prosperous cities in East Africa at the time. The ivory trade in Zanzibar was controlled by a small number of wealthy Arab and Indian merchants who monopolized the trade and accumulated vast fortunes. These merchants established commercial networks throughout East Africa, trading in other commodities such as slaves, cloves, and textiles, but ivory was the most lucrative and highly prized commodity. The ivory trade in Zanzibar was complex and involved a range of actors, including local traders, Indian and Arab merchants, European middlemen, and Indian agents. The trade was also linked to broader economic and political developments in the region, including the expansion of European colonialism, the rise of the Indian subcontinent as a global economic power, and the emergence of new trading centers in East Africa.
ntsearelr

Trade and Transformation Participation in the Ivory Trade in Late 19th Century East and... - 1 views

Lindokuhle Ntseare 222011098 History 2A

shared by ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23 - No Cached
  • ivory had important and widespread political meanings as a sign of authority and an item of tribute.
  • ivory could be translated into value both in the sphere of subsistence production and reproduction, and in the sphere of production for trade.
  • Tippu Tip.
    • ntsearelr
      ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
       
      Tippu Tip, also known as Hamed bin Muhammad el Murjebi, was a 19th-century trader, slave trader, and plantation owner who played a significant role in the history of East Africa. He was born in Zanzibar in 1837 and was the son of a successful merchant. Tippu Tip began his career as a trader, dealing in ivory and other goods. He later became involved in the slave trade, trading in slaves captured from interior regions of East Africa and selling them to buyers in Zanzibar and elsewhere. He also owned plantations in what is now Tanzania, where he employed slave labor to produce cloves, coffee, and other crops. Despite his involvement in the slave trade, Tippu Tip was also known for his diplomatic skills and his ability to navigate the complex political landscape of East Africa. He formed alliances with local rulers and played a significant role in the Arab-led slave trade networks that operated in the region.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • PORTERS, CARAVAN ROUTES AND TRADE COMMUNITIES Ivory provided status and livelihood for porters engaged in transporting it. The ivory trade was crucial in the development of long-distance trade routes by peoples in the interior, particularly by the Nyamwezi and the Yao. Among the Nyamwezi, the carriage of ivory was important in the development of a body of professional porters with particular skills and a work culture that set norms for long-distance caravan transport in the 19th century
  • ivory was the basis of several kinds of transactions at the coast. It was used to discharge the debts of those who traded in the interior and was the basis for the further extension of credit, often in the form of trade goods. It was also the basis for the authority of senior merchants like Tippu Tip, who used it to acquire guns and trade goods
  • ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
     
    Ruth Rempel examines the impact of the ivory trade on African societies and the processes of economic and social change that it brought about. She also explains how factors such as political factors, the consultate of Zanzibar, and caravan routes played a role. Rempel argues that the ivory trade created new patterns of trade and exchange, with local African communities acting as intermediaries between the interior and the coast, where European traders were based. These communities were drawn into the trade by the lure of European goods, such as firearms, cloth, and beads, and were able to accumulate wealth and power through their participation in the trade. At the same time, Rempel notes that the ivory trade also disrupted traditional social and economic relationships, causing conflict between different groups competing for control of the trade. European powers played a major role in shaping the ivory trade in Africa, using their control of coastal ports and trade routes to further their imperial ambitions and secure access to ivory and other resources.
ntsearelr

RW Beachey.pdf - 1 views

Lindokuhle Ntseare History 2A 222011098

shared by ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23 - No Cached
  • But it was in the nineteenth century that the great development of the East African ivory trade took place. An increased demand for ivory in America and Europe coincided with the opening up of East Africa by Arab traders and European explorers, and this led to the intensive exploitation of the ivory resources of the interior. Throughout the nineteenth century, East Africa ranked as the foremost source of ivory in the world; ivory over-topped all rivals, even slaves, in export value, and it
  • increased demand for ivory in America and Europe coincided with the opening up of East Africa by Arab traders and European explorers, and this led to the intensive exploitation of the ivory resources of the interior. Thro
  • by the Arabs under Sultan Said of Zanzibar, following the transference of the seat of his authority from Muscat to Zanzibar in I832. Within a decade of Said's move to Zanzibar and the Egyptian advance southwards, the ivory traders were out en mass
    • ntsearelr
      ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
       
      Sultan Said was the Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar, and he ruled over a vast empire that included parts of East Africa and the Indian Ocean. Under Sultan Said's leadership, Zanzibar became a major center for the ivory trade, and he played an important role in facilitating the trade between East Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. He established commercial relations with interior African states and trading networks, and he used his power and influence to promote the interests of the ivory traders in Zanzibar. Sultan Said's policies helped to create a favorable environment for the ivory trade in Zanzibar, and he encouraged the development of the port of Zanzibar, which became a hub for the transportation and export of ivory to markets in Europe and Asia.
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  • As the century went on, caravans travelling into the interior became bigger and bigger, until by 1885 it was not unusual to have over 2,000 porters in a single caravan. The ivory caravans developed a life of theil own, and the supply of their needs led to a system somewhat similar to that of ship chandlering. Information as to the condition of routes, the risk of native wars and the best seasons for travel were all available to the enterprising trade
  • The two great inland markets for ivory were Unyanyembe (Tabora) in what is now central Tanzania, and Ujiji on the east coast of Lake Tanganyika.10 From Tabora routes branched to the north, to Uganda, to the west, and to the south and Lake Rukwa. At Unyanyembe and Ujiji, Arab merchants had set themselves up in style, surrounding themselves with the coconut palms of their Zanzibar home, and living in cool tembes, waited on by slaves, and comforted by concubines-reproducing the languid environment of the spice island
  • routes into the int
    • ntsearelr
      ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
       
      The caravan routes in East Africa during the 19th century were a network of trade routes that extended from the interior of the continent to the coast, particularly to ports such as Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, and Kilwa. These routes were used by Arab and Swahili traders to transport goods, including ivory, to the coast for export to markets in Europe and Asia. The caravan routes varied in length and complexity, but they generally followed a similar pattern. The traders would begin their journey at the coast and travel inland with their goods, often on foot or using pack animals such as donkeys and camels. The journey could take several months, and traders would often have to navigate challenging terrain, including mountains and forests. Along the way, traders would stop at towns and villages to rest, resupply, and conduct trade with local communities. These towns and villages served as important trading centers, where goods such as food, cloth, and weapons were exchanged for ivory and other commodities. The caravan routes varied over time, depending on the political and economic conditions in the region. As new trading centers emerged, or existing ones declined, the routes would shift accordingly. Furthermore, the caravan routes were vulnerable to disruption from conflicts between different groups and natural disasters such as droughts and floods. Despite these challenges, the caravan routes remained an essential part of the East African trade network throughout the 19th century, and they played a crucial role in facilitating the ivory trade and other forms of commerce in the region.
  • The value of ivory was calculated in different ways. The African estimated its value by its size and quality. The Arab carried his steel-yard scales which were simple and practical, and, all things being equal, he purchased ivory by weight, the unit being the frasilah (34-36 lb.).16 In the southern Sudan and some parts of East Africa-for example, in Karagweivory was valued in terms of cattle, and this was one of the causes of the cattle raids carried out by ivory dealers. With the cattle they looted, they could trade for more ivo
  • ibar. Colonel Hamerton, who arrived at Zanzibar in 1841 as British consul, remarked: 'The whole trade in ivory, slaves, and gum copal is carried on by the natives of India, the ivory is consigned to them from the interior.' Hamerton noted that even the Sultan's ivory and copal trade on the mainland was mana
    • ntsearelr
      ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
       
      Indian agents played an important role in the East African ivory trade during the 19th century. These agents had established commercial networks in East Africa and had close ties to the Indian subcontinent. The Indian agents acted as intermediaries between the ivory traders in East Africa and the markets in India. They were responsible for purchasing ivory from the traders and then arranging for its transportation to India, where it would be sold for a profit. The Indian agents were essential to the ivory trade because they had access to capital and resources that the local traders often lacked. They were also familiar with the Indian market and were able to negotiate better prices for the ivory they sold.
  • The quest for ivory was never-ending. The price on the world market was remarkably free from fluctuations; no commodity retained such a stable price as did ivory in the nineteenth c
  • Figures of ivory exports from East Africa during the early nineteenth century are not easy to obtain. Various estimates range as low as 40,000 lb. a year to as high as 200,000 lb., but no indication is given as to how these figures were arrived at. But from the arrival of Colonel Rigby as British consul at Zanzibar in 1858, customs returns are available. We get a definite figure based on customs returns for 1859, showing that 488,600 lbs. of ivory worth I46,666 were exporte
  • Zanzibar as the ivory market for East Africa, supplying 75 % of the world's tota
  • ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
     
    The ivory trade was a significant economic activity in East Africa during this period, and it had a profound impact on the region's economy, society, and environment. In the article, Beachey discusses the origins of the ivory trade in East Africa and how it grew in importance over time. He explains how the trade was facilitated by the arrival of Arab and Swahili traders, who established commercial networks that stretched across the interior of the continent. These traders were able to acquire ivory from African hunters and then transport it to the coast for export to markets in Europe and Asia. In his article, Beachey also discusses the important role that Zanzibar played in the East African ivory trade during the 19th century. Zanzibar was a center for the ivory trade, serving as a hub for the transportation and export of ivory to markets in Europe and Asia. Beachey explains how Zanzibar's strategic location and its political and economic ties to East Africa made it an ideal location for ivory traders to set up shop. The island's port was well-situated to receive ivory from the interior, and Zanzibar's ruling Sultanate had established commercial relations with interior African states and trading networks. Furthermore, Beachey highlights how the ivory trade contributed to the growth of Zanzibar's economy during this period. The trade brought significant wealth to the island, which was invested in infrastructure development, such as the construction of the Zanzibar port and the city's buildings.
ntsearelr

Primary Source.pdf - 1 views

Lindokuhle Ntseare History 2A 222011098

shared by ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23 - No Cached
  • ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
     
    In this document, a British consul is reporting on the resources of East Africa. From this we get to understand two things, firstly, Britain at the time did not have much influence on East Africa compared to other European colonizers such as Portugal. Secondly, numerable resources such as gold, silver, and copper are mentioned but Ivory at the time was in abundance and it was in demand thus the ivory trade in East Africa was flourishing and it comes to no surprise that nations like Britain wanted to be apart of the commercial industry in East Africa. For example, it is mentioned that in Mozambique two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of ivory was being exported (this was around the mid 1850s). Furthermore, Zanzibar is mentioned and said to have been exporting, along with ivory, a number of products and this was valued at five hundred British pounds per annum. Lastly, the British officer goes and mentions the resources and political structure of various countries in East Africa at the time, Ivory is mentioned in sixty percent of those discussed by the officer.
ntsearelr

Ivory Trade in East Africa | AfricaHunting.com - 1 views

Lindokuhle Ntseare 222011098 History2A

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  • ntsearelr on 26 Apr 23
     
    source: Africa hunting online This is a depiction of ivory being transported via the caravan routes
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