The Silk Roads: Trade, Innovations, and Cultural Exchange

Silk Roads

network of roads and trails that facilitated trade and the spread of culture and ideas (cultural diffusion) across Eurasia in and before the period 1200-1450.

Luxury items

Mainly luxury items were exchanged (Chinese SILK).

Paper money

merchants could deposit bills in one location and withdraw the same amount in another location.

Flying Money

Merchants could secure pieces of paper in one region then go to another region to exchange the paper for coins, which increased expansion and networks.

Banking houses

(Europe) → bill of exchange (merchants receive the amount of money equal to the bill).

Caravanserai

series of guest houses on routes used for rest areas + provided safety and were centers of cultural diffusion.

Saddles

made riding easier + held large cargos.

Kashgar

convergence of major routes → suitable for agriculture and had highly profitable markets and a center for Islamic scholarship.

Samarkand

repeat of Kashgar.

Increased demand for luxury goods

As demand grew, the production of these goods increased.

Proto-Industrialization

Process where China produced more goods than their own population could consume (extra goods sold in distant markets) → with all the extra money they reinvested it into the Iron/Steel industry.

Cultural Diffusion

EX: Islamic merchants spread Islam + Buddhist merchants spread Buddhism.

Innovations in Commercial practices

Development of money economies and increasing use of credit.

Rise of Banks

The establishment of banking systems that facilitated trade.

Effect #1 - New Trading Cities

located along the routes and had a lot of wealth, providing places to stop and resupply.

Effect #2 - Increased demand for luxury goods

chinese silk and porcelain.

Effect #3 - Cultural Diffusion

The spread of cultural practices and beliefs through trade.

Production of luxury goods

Production of luxury goods in distant markets had effects on populations.

Yangtze River Valley

peasants spent more time producing luxury goods, they spent less time on food production.