Which term describes a network of sea-based trade routes connecting Asia, Africa, and beyond?

• A. Silk Road
• B. Indian Ocean Maritime System
• C. Trans-Saharan Trade
• D. Mercantile Exchange

Answer: (B)

Long-distance sea-based trade across the Indian Ocean connected Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, with ships sailing between bustling ports and using the seasonal monsoon winds to plan reliable voyages. This network moved a wide range of goods—spices from India and Southeast Asia, gold and ivory from Africa, textiles and porcelain from China and the Islamic world—while also spreading ideas, religions, and technologies through sustained contact. That interconnected web is best described by the Indian Ocean Maritime System, because it specifically names the sea routes and port networks linking these regions. The Silk Road refers to overland corridors across Eurasia; Trans-Saharan Trade covers routes across the Sahara; Mercantile Exchange is a broad term for trade activity without tying it to a particular geography.