Question

questions 1 through 3 refer to the following. the east african coast was certainly known to the people of arabia by the eighth century b.c.e. in fact, the ancient southern arabian state of ausan traded extensively there and may have actually held a portion of the coast. traders who reached the coast discovered a number of potentially valuable raw materials there. among these were spices, tortoise shell, coconut oil, ivory, and later, gold and slaves. it was not until almost 1000 c.e., however, that the first important commercial city - states emerged along the coast. these city - states fluctuated in wealth and prestige as they competed for coastal hegemony. because of their way of life, they tended to have a broad regional perspective. their destinies and fortunes were at least partly determined in distant lands by foreign merchants and rulers. information on early political aspects of east african states remains very limited. we know that they had kings or sultans, who wielded a good deal of power. sultans were advised by councils of princes, elders, and members of the ruling household. it seems probable that the sultan and his close relatives controlled the religious and military offices of the state. terry h. elkiss, historian, \kilwa kisiwani: the rise of an east african city - state,\ article published in african studies review, a scholarly journal, 1973. 2 mark for review the interregional connections of states such as those on the east african coast can best be used as an illustration of the continued importance of which of the following? a international diplomacy b polytheistic religions c long - distance trade d patriarchal gender norms

Explanation:

The passage discusses trade (coconut oil, ivory, gold, slaves, spices etc.) between East - African coastal states and foreign merchants, highlighting long - distance trade as an important regional connection.

Answer:

C. Long - distance trade