Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan & Mongol Trade Networks (1200–1450 CE)

What was the timeframe of the Silk Roads trade network?

c. 1200-1450 CE

Which dynasties in China were involved in the Silk Roads?

Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties

Name two key oases in Central Asia that were part of the Silk Roads.

Samarkand and Kashgar

What regions were involved in the Silk Roads besides China and Central Asia?

Middle East (Persia, Abbasid remnants, Mongol Ilkhanate) and Eastern Mediterranean (Byzantine, Ottoman rise, Italian city-states like Venice & Genoa)

What were some important goods traded along the Silk Roads?

Silk, porcelain, paper, gunpowder, and luxury goods.

What major religions spread along the Silk Roads?

Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.

What role did the Mongol Empire play in the Silk Roads?

Provided stability known as Pax Mongolica.

What was the timeframe of the Indian Ocean Trade Network?

c. 1200-1450 CE

Which regions were involved in the Indian Ocean Trade Network?

East Africa (Swahili Coast), Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

What goods were commonly traded in the Indian Ocean Trade Network?

Spices, textiles, ivory, and gold.

How did monsoon wind patterns affect trade in the Indian Ocean?

They shaped seasonal trade routes.

What cultural impact did the Indian Ocean Trade Network have?

Spread of Islam and the establishment of diasporic merchant communities.

What was the timeframe of the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes?

c. 1200-1450 CE

Which regions were involved in the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes?

West Africa (Mali Empire), North Africa (Maghreb, Morocco, Egypt).

What were the main goods traded in the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes?

Gold, salt, and enslaved people.

How did Islam spread in West Africa?

Via merchants and scholars.

What cities became centers of learning in the Trans-Saharan trade?

Timbuktu.

What was the timeframe of the Mongol Empire and its steppe routes?

c. 1206-1368 CE.

What regions were involved in the Mongol Empire's steppe routes?

Eurasian Steppe, China (Yuan dynasty), Persia (Ilkhanate), and Russia (Golden Horde).

What was a significant impact of the Mongol Empire on trade and communication?

Unified Eurasia through trade and communication, including the Yam postal system.

What technologies and ideas were spread through the Mongol Empire?

Gunpowder, paper, and the plague (Black Death).

What role did Italian city-states play in trade during this period?

Connected Europe to the Silk Roads and Indian Ocean trade.

What regional exchange networks existed in Mesoamerica and the Andes?

Maya, Aztec, and Inca had local exchange networks, not directly linked to Afro-Eurasian trade.