Unit 2: Networks of Exchange 1200-1450 — Silk Roads, Mongols, Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan

What were the Silk Roads?

A network of trade routes that stretched from China to Europe and North Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods and culture.

How did the Silk Roads function best?

They worked best as a conduit of trade when large empires controlled the land across which they stretched.

What significant trading relationship existed around 200 CE?

The Roman Empire and Han China had a robust trading relationship due to their control over the Silk Roads.

What role did the Mongols play in the Silk Roads?

The Mongols unified the Silk Roads, enhancing trade across Afro-Eurasia.

What types of goods were primarily traded on the Silk Roads?

Most goods traded were luxury items, such as Chinese silk, due to limited space in camel caravans.

How did Buddhism spread along the Silk Roads?

Buddhism spread widely through merchants and adapted as it moved, leading to the development of Mahayana Buddhism.

What was the impact of the Silk Roads on disease?

The Silk Roads facilitated the spread of diseases, including the Black Death, which significantly affected populations in Europe and Asia.

Who was Genghis Khan?

Temujin, known as Genghis Khan, was the founder of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest land-based empire in history.

What were the Mongol military tactics?

The Mongols incorporated defeated enemies into their military rather than destroying them.

What was the organizational structure of the Mongol army?

The army was organized in groups of 10, 100, etc., allowing for effective command and control.

What was the Yuan Dynasty?

The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols in China, lasting from 1271 to 1368, integrating Chinese society.

What was the significance of the Indian Ocean trade routes?

The Indian Ocean was the largest sea-based trade network before the Atlantic, linking societies from China to East Africa.

What innovations facilitated Indian Ocean trade?

Maritime innovations included the magnetic compass, astrolabe, and large ships like Chinese junks.

What was the role of the Srivijaya Kingdom?

The Srivijaya Kingdom was a Buddhist empire that controlled trade in Indonesia along key trade routes.

What characterized the Swahili Civilization?

The Swahili Civilization emerged as a series of commercial city-states that traded gold, ivory, and slaves, with a fusion of Bantu and Arabic languages.

What facilitated trade across the Trans-Saharan routes?

The introduction of the Arabian camel allowed easier travel across the harsh deserts of the Sahara.

What was the Kingdom of Mali known for?

The Kingdom of Mali peaked in the 14th century, monopolizing trade of horses and metals, and generating revenue by taxing salt and copper.

What were the cultural consequences of connectivity during 1200-1450?

Trade routes facilitated the exchange of not just goods, but also religions and cultural practices.

What were the two outcomes when religions were introduced to new areas?

1. Unified the people and justified leaders. 2. Led to conflict or resistance against the new beliefs.

What is Zen (Chan) Buddhism?

A form of Buddhism that emerged in China, blending Buddhist and Daoist beliefs.

Which dynasty saw opposition from Confucian scholar gentry towards the mixing of religions?

The Song Dynasty.

What is Neo-Confucianism?

A moral, ethical, and metaphysical philosophy influenced by Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, popular in the Song and Ming Dynasties.

How did Muslim merchants influence the East African Coast?

They brought Islam from the Indian Ocean, leading to the formation of the Swahili language.

What is the Swahili language?

A fusion of native Bantu language and Arabic, developed due to Muslim influence.

What medical advances occurred in Cairo?

Improvements in hospital care and the standardization of the medical profession, including licensing and examinations.

What was the significance of the triangular lateen sail?

It allowed sailors to tack into the wind, providing more flexibility in travel.

What innovation allowed for more precision in turning ships?

The stern post rudder.

What navigational tools were developed during this period?

The magnetic compass and astrolabe.

What city in China became the largest and most metropolitan during increased trade?

Hangzhou.

What cultural developments flourished in Hangzhou due to urbanization?

Poetry and literature, with notable poets like Lu Yu and Xin Qiji.

What was notable about the Arab community in Hangzhou?

It was a thriving and diverse community contributing to the city's culture.

Who was Marco Polo?

A traveler who visited the court of Kublai Khan in the late 1200s and became an ambassador, sharing stories of his travels.

What impact did Marco Polo's stories have on Europe?

They sparked interest in Asia and exploration after being written down during his imprisonment.

Who was Ibn Battuta?

A Muslim traveler who sought to explore the dar al-Islam, visiting places like Mecca, Persia, and Mali.

What was a significant pilgrimage made by Ibn Battuta?

His pilgrimage to Mecca.

Which regions did Ibn Battuta travel through?

Persia, East African Coast, India, Mali, Spain, and others.

What were the two major categories of things that spread through trade networks from 1200 to 1450?

Agriculture and disease.

What crop spread from Vietnam to China and was drought resistant?

Champa rice.

What was one environmental impact of the introduction of Champa rice?

It led to great population growth and transformation of land through terrace farming.

Which crop was introduced to Africa from Southeast Asia, allowing Bantu-speaking people to cultivate it?

Bananas.

What was a staple food for the Bantu before the introduction of bananas?

Yams.

What environmental consequence occurred due to population increases in areas like Great Zimbabwe?

Overgrazing led to environmental degradation and abandonment of the area in the 1400s.

What significant disease spread through trade networks during this period?

The Black Death.

How did the Black Death spread through trade routes?

Through fleas on rats and merchants, often in caravanserai where people rested close to animals.

What was one economic result of the Black Death in Europe?

It changed the relationship between workers and lords, increasing the value of labor due to worker scarcity.

What were the Silk Road trade routes primarily used for?

Exchanging luxury goods and transporting ideas, technologies, and religions.

What facilitated the Indian Ocean Trade network?

Monsoon winds and a supportive Muslim trade society.

What goods were commonly exchanged in the Trans-Saharan Trade?

Gold, salt, ivory, and other luxury items.

What was a significant factor in the decline of all major trade networks during this period?

The rise of sea-based trade routes and European colonialism.

What were caravanserai?

Little cities along the Silk Roads where merchants could rest, which also facilitated the spread of disease.

What were some similarities among the trade networks of this period?

They exchanged goods and resources, facilitated cultural and technological exchanges, and promoted economic development.

What were the main differences in goods traded on the Silk Road, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan routes?

Silk Road: silk and luxury goods; Indian Ocean: spices and textiles; Trans-Saharan: salt and gold.

What type of transportation was primarily used on the Silk Road and Trans-Saharan routes?

Land-based transportation using camels.

What type of transportation was primarily used in the Indian Ocean trade?

Ships, including lateen sails and dhows.

What political context characterized the Silk Road trade network?

It was controlled by powerful states or empires, such as the Mongols.

What changes in social structures influenced trade routes during this period?

Increasing productive capacity and the need for luxury goods.

How did Chinese, Persian, and Indian merchants contribute to trade during this period?

They expanded the supply of textiles and porcelains for export.

What was one major agricultural development in China during this period?

The expansion of iron and steel production.