1. How did the expansion of Islam transform Indian Ocean trade networks compared to earlier periods?

2. Why did cities like Calicut become thriving centers of trade, and what role did foreign merchants play?

1. What specialized products did different regions of the Indian Ocean trade network produce and export?

2. How did the Indian Ocean slave trade differ from the Atlantic slave trade in terms of labor and living conditions?

1. Why was knowledge of monsoon winds essential for merchants trading in the Indian Ocean?

1. What maritime technologies did Arab and Chinese sailors develop or adopt to navigate the Indian Ocean?

2. How did the astrolabe improve navigation for sailors during the Postclassical Era?

1. How did Malacca become wealthy and powerful, and what was the basis of its prosperity?

2. What were the consequences of the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in 1511 for Indian Ocean trade?

1. How did merchant diasporas form in the Indian Ocean trade networks, and what role did intermarriage play?

2. How did diasporic communities influence the spread of Islam and cultural exchange in the Indian Ocean region?

1. What changes did producers make to meet rising demand for goods in the Indian Ocean trade?

2. How did the state's role expand in response to increased trade, and what example illustrates this?

1. What goods did Swahili city-states trade, and what evidence shows the wealth generated by Indian Ocean trade?

2. How did architectural changes in Swahili cities like Kilwa reflect the prosperity from Indian Ocean trade?

1. What were the main purposes of Zheng He's voyages, and what was the scale of his expeditions?

2. What benefits and controversies did Zheng He's voyages generate within China?

3. Why did the Ming emperor's successor end Zheng He's voyages, and what were the consequences for Indian Ocean trade?