AP World History Unit 2: Networks of Exchange

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to Networks of Exchange in AP World History.

Silk Roads

Ancient caravan routes across Central Asia, known for spreading religions and technology, as well as diseases.

Indian Ocean trade

The richest maritime trading network in the 13th and 14th centuries, connecting Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China.

Trans-Saharan trade

Trade routes across the Sahara Desert that traded gold, enslaved peoples, ivory, and salt.

Magnetic compass

A Chinese invention aiding navigation by indicating direction, spread through trade networks.

Rudder

A steering device attached to the stern of a boat, improving sea trade.

Junk ship

A large flat-bottom sailing ship from the Tang and Song Empires, designed for long-distance travel.

Kashgar

A central Asian city where the western and eastern Silk Roads met, important for trade.

Samarkand

A key trading city along the Silk Roads, known for its wealth and decorated mosques.

Paper money

Legal currency issued on paper, developed in China as an alternative to metal coins.

Caravanserai

An inn with a courtyard for travelers, allowing caravans to rest and encouraging trade.

Porcelain

Thin, beautiful pottery from China, highly desired as a luxury good.

Monsoon winds

Seasonal winds in India, with summer bringing rain and winter bringing dry weather.

Spice Islands

The Moluccas, islands in Southeast Asia rich in spices, often traded in the Indian Ocean network.

Diaspora

The dispersion of people from their homeland, particularly Muslims spreading Islam in Southeast Asia.

Dhow ships

Arab sailing vessels with triangular sails, influencing European ship design.

Mansa Musa

Muslim ruler of Mali known for his wealth and extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca.

Timbuktu

A Mali trading city that became a center of wealth and learning.

Camel saddle

An invention providing stability for camel riders, crucial for trade routes.

Caravan

A group of traveling merchants and animals, essential for trade along Silk Roads.

Khan

A title for a Mongol ruler.

Khanates

Four regional Mongol kingdoms formed after Genghis Khan's death.

Pax Mongolica

A period of peace and stability during the Mongol Empire that boosted trade.

Golden Horde

A Mongol khanate in southern Russia, adopting Turkic language and Islam.

Il-Khanate

A Mongol empire ruling over Iran and the Middle East, assimilating into Persian society.

Yuan Dynasty

The Chinese dynasty under Mongol rule, notable for its bureaucratic structure.

Bubonic Plague

A deadly disease that spread through trade routes, causing significant population loss.

Gunpowder

A military technology invented in China, spreading from East to West through trade.

Ibn Battuta

A Moroccan Muslim scholar known for his extensive travels and writings on Islamic lands.

Marco Polo

An Italian explorer who documented his journeys to China, expanding knowledge in Europe.

Swahili city-states

Coastal cities in East Africa that blended local beliefs with Islam and Arabic.

Zheng He

A Chinese Ming Dynasty naval explorer who facilitated trade in the Indian Ocean.