Explain the impacts of trade on the people of East Africa

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What were the Impacts of the trade on the peoples of east Africa?

(a) The trade led to intermarriage between Muslim traders with the local Bantu communities
giving rise to the Swahili people with a distinct culture.

(b) There was emergence of Kiswahili as a new language of the coastal people. The language is a
mixture of Bantu and Arabic languages.

(c) The trade led to the spread of the Islamic culture along the coastal region. Stone buildings
were constructed, new dressing styles arose (women began to wear buibui while men wore
kanzus), new eating habits also evolved.

(d) The Islamic law, sharia was also introduced.

(e) Many Africans were converted to Islam. However the religion did not spread beyond the
coastal region prior to the 19th Century.

(f) New crops were introduced along the coast. For example, rice, wheat, millet, cloves,
vegetables and fruits such as bananas and oranges. Cloth, cowrie shells and spices were also
introduced.

(g) Profits derived from the trade were used to develop towns like Pemba, Mombasa, Lamu,
Zanzibar and Kilwa.

(h) The trade led to the rise of a class of rich merchants exhibiting a high standard of living.
African merchants who rose to prominence included chief Kivoi among the Akamba, Ngonyo of
the Giriama, Mwakikonga of the Digo, Nyungu ya mawe, Mirambo and Msiri of the Nyamwezi.

(i) There was decline of the local industries like weaving and iron working which were affected
by the influx of foreign goods like cloth fro India and iron tools from Asia and Europe.

(j) There was destruction of wildlife, especially elephant and rhinoceros due to the increased
demand for ivory.

(k) The increased demand for slaves promoted warfare among the communities as many people
were captured during slave raids. It also created fear while others lost their life during the
warfare.

(l) Slave trade also disrupted African economies as able bodied men were captured leaving
behind the aged, weak, and children who made little contribution. Many even died of starvation
since they could not participate in food production.

(m) African population in the hinterland greatly reduced as many were sold into slavery.

(n) Money (currency) was introduced as a means of exchange to replace the barter system of
trade.

(o) East African coast was exposed to the outside world through trade. This paved way for
European imperialism later on.

(p) Trade routes led to the establishment of trade caravan routes which later were upgraded to
roads by the colonialists.

johnmulu answered the question on March 11, 2017 at 07:25

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Explain the impacts of trade on the people of East Africa

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