Pls help me. It’s urgent. I have a a social studies homework assignment for tomorrow and my teacher is very strict if I don’t do it.
So my assignment is to write about how our ancestors lived and settled in Maldives in the 1st century. Include the following points when writing.
- introduction (2-3 lines)
- Names of the first settlers in Maldives (5-10 lines)
- Names of ancient islands back in the day (4-5 lines)
- Culture followed by them (5-10 lines)
- How the name dhivehi formed (5-10 lines)
- Conclusion (2-3 lines)
Answers
The history of the Maldives is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia and Indian Ocean; and the modern nation consisting of 28 natural atolls, comprising 1194 islands. Historically, the Maldives had a strategic importance because of its location on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives' nearest neighbours are Sri Lanka and India, both of which have had cultural and economic ties with Maldives for centuries. The Maldives provided the main source of cowrie shells, then used as a currency throughout Asia and parts of the East African coast. Most probably Maldives were influenced by Kalingas of ancient India who were earliest sea traders to Sri Lanka and Maldives from India and were responsible for the spread of Buddhism. Hence ancient Hindu culture has an indelible impact on Maldives' local culture.
After the 16th century, when colonial powers took over much of the trade in the Indian Ocean, first the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and the French occasionally meddled in local politics. However, this interference ended when the Maldives became a British Protectorate in the 19th century and the Maldivian monarchs were granted a good measure of self-governance.