Environmental Differences

Environmental differences affected social, political, and economic institutions in the Delhi Sultanate, the Swahili city-states, and Mali. Many of these differences helped the civilizations, but some affected them badly. Mali had abundant rainfall and a very tropic climate which helped with the fertile soil in the area for farming. Although there was also high mountain ranges and plateaus that had cooler weather and shorter growing seasons. Malians adapted to this tropic climate by using their positive environmental factors to outweigh their negatives. Although the mountainous regions took space from farming areas, there was abundant wild food and fish that helped the Malian civilization develop without farming, agriculture, or herding. The Malians, instead of inhabiting another region, stayed and used their advantages of the environment to prosper. The Delhi Sultanate were located in India. They had abundant rainfall and lived in a very mountainous region like the Mali. There environment was very similar to the Mali civilization. They depended on wild foods in the area and rarely traded. The Swahili city-states also had a tropic climate as well as a tropic environment. Unlike the Mali, they depended on herding and agriculture. They had more wide open fields for farming and less tropical forests and mountains. They also depended on trade. They mainly traded grains and vegetables. They survived mainly because they depended on the tropical weather for agriculture. They had very fertile soil and medium to abundant rainfall which was perfect for farming.

3. Environmental factors determined the roles played by the various areas and peoples that participated in the Indian Ocean trading system. The environment is not always how people want it to be, so people have to adapt to it. Sea navigating and traveling was controlled by the environment. People have to build stronger and more durable ships so that the ships can withstand the high tides and hurricanes that