Major historical trade networks (Silk Road, Indian Ocean trade, trans-Saharan routes, Columbian Exchange) and what moved along them. Front: the network or exchange. Back: a one to two sentence explanation of its significance.
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- Silk Road
- A vast network of overland trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean, active from roughly 200 BCE to the 1400s CE. It facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and religions between East and West.
- What major goods moved eastward on the Silk Road?
- Chinese silk, tea, porcelain, and paper. These luxury goods were highly prized in Europe and the Middle East.
- What goods moved westward along the Silk Road?
- Glass, wool, precious metals, wine, and horses. These items were in high demand in the Chinese empire.
- What religious tradition spread along the Silk Road?
- Buddhism traveled from India and Central Asia into China, Korea, and Japan during the first millennium CE.
- How did the Silk Road function as a trade network?
- Goods rarely traveled the entire route. Instead, merchants used relay trade, passing goods from one intermediary to the next over many regions.
- Who controlled the Silk Road at its height?
- Various powers including the Mongol Empire, Persian empires, and Chinese dynasties. The Mongol expansion actually boosted trade by creating security along the routes.
- What economic classes benefited most from the Silk Road?
- Merchant classes grew wealthy through Silk Road trade, increasing their social status and influence in cities like Samarkand and Venice.
- Indian Ocean trade network
- A maritime trade system connecting Asia, Africa, and the Middle East from roughly the 1st century CE through the 1600s. It moved spices, textiles, and precious goods across sea lanes.
- What was the most valuable commodity in Indian Ocean trade?
- Spices from Southeast Asia, especially cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. Their rarity and high value made them the most sought-after goods on Indian Ocean routes.
- What other goods moved along Indian Ocean routes?
- Textiles from India and Persia, precious stones, incense, perfumes, porcelain from China, and timber. Ivory and other African goods also moved through these networks.
- What natural feature enabled Indian Ocean trade?
- The monsoon winds, which blow predictably in different directions at different seasons, allowing merchants to sail safely and efficiently across the ocean.
- Which religion spread through Indian Ocean trade networks?
- Islam. Muslim merchants dominated Indian Ocean routes by the 10th century, spreading Islamic culture, law, and architecture across port cities.
- Who were the major traders in Indian Ocean networks?
- Arab, Indian, Chinese, Persian, and African merchants. These traders often formed diaspora communities in port cities and maintained networks across multiple regions.
- What cities became wealthy Indian Ocean trade hubs?
- Calicut, Aden, Cairo, Zanzibar, and Malacca. These port cities grew rich from the tax and trade profits passing through their harbors.
- How did Indian Ocean trade connect to European exploration?
- European desire for the spices and goods available through Indian Ocean trade motivated explorers like Vasco da Gama and Columbus to find sea routes, eventually disrupting and redirecting these networks.