Silk Road

Which deserts did the Silk Road pass through?

Gobi and Taklamakan

What was the role of oasis towns on the Silk Road?

Rest stops, centers for trade, education, culture, and religion

Which empire controlled the east end of the Silk Road?

Han Dynasty

Which empire controlled the west end of the Silk Road?

Roman Empire

What was the Pax Mongolica?

“Mongol Peace,” a period of stability that made trade safe and efficient

Name the four main Mongol Khanates.

Golden Horde (NW, Russia & E Europe), Ilkhanate (SW, Persia & Middle East), Khanate of the Great Khan/Yuan Dynasty (East, China, Mongolia, Korea)

Who led the Ming treasure voyages?

Zheng He

What was the effect of Portuguese maritime routes on the Silk Road?

Bypassed Silk Road trade, reducing its dominance

Memory tip: Deserts → ?

Oasis towns thrive in harsh desert conditions

Name the three major seas of Indian Ocean trade.

Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea (ABC)

What were India’s main trade goods?

Cotton fabrics, carpets, artisan stonework, high-carbon steel, pepper

What were China’s main trade goods?

Silk and porcelain

What were the four famous spices from the Spice Islands?

Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom

Name key Indian Ocean trading hubs.

Gujarat, Calicut, Malacca, Mogadishu, Zanzibar, Kilwa

Key navigation technologies in Indian Ocean trade?

Lateen sail, astrolabe, magnetic compass, stern rudder, dhows and junks (“SACs for tech”)

How did monsoon winds affect trade?

Winter → southwest, Summer → northeast; allowed predictable trade schedules

How was Indian Ocean trade politically organized?

Decentralized, resilient network of city-states

Memory tip for Indian Ocean trade tech?

“Ships for sea, SACs for tech” (Stern rudder, Astrolabe, Compass, Sails)

What regions did trans-Saharan trade connect?

Sub-Saharan Africa ↔ North Africa ↔ Europe & Asia

Which empire controlled gold and taxed trade?

Mali Empire

Key factors in the growth of Sahara trade?

Muslim merchants, Mali Empire rise, camel saddles, caravanserai, spread of Islam (MC3)

Who were the Berbers?

Indigenous North Africans who led trans-Saharan caravans

What is the Hajj?

Pilgrimage to Mecca

Memory tip for Sahara vs Indian Ocean trade?

“Ships for sea, camels for sand”

How did Sahara trade differ from Silk Road trade?

Focused on logistics & environment rather than centralized empires

Misnomer

An inaccurate or misleading name (“mis-name”)

Tribute system

Foreign states acknowledge China’s superiority for trade; “give tribute → trade & protection”

Pax Mongolica

Period of Mongol peace and stability enabling safe trade

Vassal

Subordinate state owing tribute or military support

Hegemon

Dominant political, economic, or military power

Caravanserai

Roadside inn for travelers and merchants, often in deserts

Decentralization vs Centralization in trade

Indian Ocean = decentralized, resilient; Silk Road = centralized, vulnerable