2.1 & 2.3 silk road and indian ocean trade

Parthians

• Part of eastern seleucid empire

• Ties with nomadic pastoralists key in developing trade between East and West

• Golden Age of Silk Road through end of Roman Age

Ferghanese

• Earliest long-distance traders in the Sogdiana Region 

• Half-way between the Mediterranean and China 

• Exchanged camels and resupplied caravans

Silk road

• Linked China and Mediterranean 

• 4000 miles end to end 

• *1st Golden Age through end of Rome (Royal Road of Persians) 

• 2nd Golden Age  Revived by Abbasid Caliphate Wealthy in the East and West drive demand for products from far away

Who revived the silk road

The Abbasid caliphate

Pax Mongolia

Mongolian peace

Trade routes during mongols

• Improved roads 

• First “Passports” issued to traders - *new 

• Security of travel enforced 

• Populations along Silk Road that were not under direct Mongol control benefit as well. 

• New population centers develop

What was the key transportation system

Camels

Camel Saddle New Technology

• Earliest development the “war saddle”

• Also aided in control of the caravan route 

• *Pack saddle- caravans along Silk Road grow dramatically with this! 

Pastoralists 

• Pastoralists critical to success

• Fresh animals

• handlers and guides

• Protection along the road

Yurts

portable felt huts used by nomads

General Zhang Jian

• Led 18 imperial expeditions west from China during Han period 

• Credited with introducing Alfalfa and wine grapes to China.

Kashgar

• Western edge of China 

• Lakes provided water for cotton, wheat, rice, fruit production. 

• Industries in textiles, rugs, leather and pottery 

• Originally Buddhist but becomes center of Islamic learning 

Syncretism

• Blending religious beliefs, philosophies or practices into something new 

• In trade cities, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Chinese came together sometimes inter-marriage occurred

Samarkand 

• Between China and the Med. 

• Modern Uzbekistan 

• Religious and cultural diversity 

• Biggest Arab trade city of Silk Road

• Mongols will decimate city in 1220 killing 30,000 +

Caravan serai

• Persian for “Caravan Palace”

• Permanent Inns 

• 100 miles apart 

• Resupply travelers 

• Rest and trade 

Impact of silk road trade

• Cash economy grows-less barter

• Increased settlement along route.

• Promoted cultural and ethnic mix 

• Spread of religion, technology- books, maps, charts blueprints. 

• Turkic Uigur kingdom 

• Like Sogdiana region, pastoralists who supported trade routes

Economy 2.1

• Flying money - Paper money invented because coins were too heavy. 

• Credit system developed based on guarantees that paper money could be redeemed for coinage 

• Idea spreads to Europe

Merchant banks

• Most significant European growth industry by 1400’s. 

• Investment Banking, Counseling, Advising and in Mergers and Acquisitions. 

• Created very wealthy merchant-banker class in cities like Venice and Florence Italy.

Italian merchant banks

Deposit cash and gain access to: 

1. Checking accounts 

2. Shareholding companies 

3. Money changing 

4. Loans

5. Making investments

Hanseatic League

• Trade alliance based in Germany 

• An association of trading cities in northern Europe 

Guilds

• An association of craft specialists in the same trade.

• Instead of competing with each other they joined together 

• They will become the “Trade Unions” in future centuries.

• Set prices for goods

Indian ocean trade

1200-1500

Increase in ocean trade

1. Mongol Empire collapse by mid 1300’s. 

Disruptions in overland routes caused by bandits increases

2. Demand for luxury goods, jewels, textiles, precious metals continues to grow.

Wealthy still want exotic products from the Far East and elsewhere

3. Larger ships carrying more cargo built. Safer, faster and larger loads can be carried by ship 

4. Growing wealth of  Asian, European, African trade states drives sea network of communication and exchange The Maritime Silk Road!

Commercial interests 2.3

• Regional networks of Indian Ocean trade linked coastal cities and states especially in SE Asia.

• Silver becomes the currency of trade because of ease of exchange

• Spices from Indonesia increase dramatically

Indian ocean monsoons

• JANUARY MONSOON (DRY) WIND 

• JULY MONSOON (WET) WINDS

Indian ocean trade

• Merchants from Muslim, Indian, Chinese worlds

• Two types of commodities: luxury, staple 

• Government protected trade through entrepôts 

• Commonly observed rules, stability 

• Merchants frequently spread faith, culture

Chinese junk 

• Characteristic ship of the Arabian Sea

• The wood planks were sewn together with fiber cords instead of nailed together. 

• Triangular lateen sails made of palm leaves or cotton that caught high monsoon winds better. 

Innovations between 1200-1500 included a new stern mounted rudder

Triangular lateen sails

• Made of palm leaves or otton that caught high monsoon winds better 

Monsoon winds - sailing

• December to March- sailed from India to Arabia and Africa on northeast monsoon winds 

• April to August – Returned on south west winds

Gujarat

• rich Muslim trading state.

• Exported manufactured finished goods for high prices

• African and Arabic states exported raw materials at low prices.

Biggest threat for Malacca

Majaphit Indians and Chinese pirates

Kingdom of Malacca

• It became the center of wealth and trade in Malaysia for centuries. 

• biggest threats were Majaphit Indian and Chinese pirates! 

• Located in the heart of the old Srivijian Kingdom 

• Over 84 languages were spoken. 

• Major port  in S.E. Asia on the China to India trade route.

• A meeting place for communication and exchange from around Eurasia 

Swahili coast

• East coast of Africa Exported gold from all eastern areas of Africa.  

• By 1300’s the most important trading city was Kilwa.  

• Located at end of Indian Ocean trade route it exported a ton of gold every year

Most important trading city in Swahili coast

Kilwa

Yongle

• Moved capital back to Beijing. 

• Expanded imperial palace and created Forbidden City. 

• Because Mongols controlled the Silk Road, he focused on sea trade.

Zheng He

• Muslim, highly educated  

• He commanded the emperor’s treasure fleet.

• Was important because he traveled one of the seven voyages, bringing back new styles of culture and governing 

Major Social Changes Due to Prosperity 1200 and 1500

• Increase in African slave trade by poorer regions. 

• Slaves seen as a commodity- sold into Arab, Indian and European markets 

• Slave status varied- Educated Muslim slaves are more valued than uneducated or non-Muslim slaves.

Ethiopia and Education

• Before Islam spread literacy in sub-Saharan Africa, Christian Ethiopia was the only literate society. 

• Remember - Islamic mosques are centers of learning- not just religious buildings.

How did the demand for luxury goods revive the silk road?

• Indian artists and merchants expanded production

• Wanted a way to trade overseas

• Led to second golden age

• Unified under Mongol control

Items traded East to west on the silk road (china-europe)

• porcelain 

• Tea

• Silk

• Rhubarb

Crusades led to increased trade by..

Lords and armies of knights brought back fabric and spices

Items traded West to East in silk road (europe-china)

• Gold

• Silver

Empires/civilizations involved in the first silk road golden age 

• Han dynasty

• Roman empire 

Who revived the silk road

Abbasid empire

Tang china’s imports

• Cotton 

• Precious stones 

• pomegranates 

• dates

• horses

• grapes 

Tang China’s exports

• Porcelain

• tea

• silk

• gunpowder

How mongols impacted safety and security through silk road

• Punished bandits 

• Respected merchants & laws 

How mongols impacted new trade routes

• Improved roads 

• New trade channels

How mongols impacted infrastructure

• improvement of traveling

• Unified system under authority of different ruler

• magnetic compass 

How mongols impacted population

• Thriving cities

• Fertile land

• More crops

• More money to build religious monuments 

• Diversity 

Improvements that increased trade along the silk road

• Transportation tech.

• Magnetic compass

• Junk

• Rudder 

• Design saddles for camels 

Dhow

• Used coastaly

• made for speed

• not very stable

• wooden 

• used for Indian ocean trade 

Junk

• Hull divided into compartments

• Walls strengthened ship 

• Stable 

• Made sinking less likely 

• 400 ft long 

Significance of Kashgar

• Significant for travelers abundance & food 

• Located where north and south routes of silk road cross 

• Center of Islamic scholarship (was once Buddhist) 

Syncretism, how it affected Kashgar

• Buddhist city became center of Islamic scholarship 

• united cultures

• brought more people to Kashgar 

Importance of Samarkand

• Stopping point on silk road between China& Mediterranean 

• Center of cultural exchange 

• Center for trading goods 

• Known for artisans & center for islamic learning & decorated mosques

Syncretism in Samarkand

• Christianity 

• Buddhism 

• Zoroastrianism 

• Islam 

Caravanserai

• Inns that were 100 miles apart 

• Travelers could rest themselves & their animals there 

• They could trade old animals for fresher ones 

Money economy

Using money rather than bartering with commodities like cowrie shells, or salt 

Disadvantages  of metal coin money & barter

Became too unwieldy to transport for everyday transactions 

Bill of exchange

Document stating the holder was legally promised payment of a set amount on a set date 

How credit and money innovations benefitted trade 

• Made money carrying easier 

• Provided convenience 

• Stability of institutions 

Hanseatic league

Commercial alliance with cities in north Germany & Scandiva

Hanseatic league operation system

• Controlled trade in North & Baltic sea

• Lubek, Riga, Hamburg, drove out pirates & monopolize trade in timber, grain, leather, and salted fish 

Disband of Hanseatic league

National government became strong enough to protect their merchants

How did increases in demand impact production of silk, porcelains, iron & steel

• Led to corresponding increase in supply through expanded production 

• Craftworkers expanded production of goods for export 

Why could dar-al-islam be considered the worlds first global empire 

• Connected societies from north africa to South Asia 

• Religion spread through merchants and trade 

How did Islam connect Indian Ocean trade cities

• Trading partners existed in East Africa, East & South East Asia, and South Asia

• Muslims were dominant seafarers & were instrumental in transporting goods to port cities across the Indian Ocean 

Calicuts role in Indian Ocean trade system

• Center of trade

• Bustling Port City for merchants in search of spies 

• Foreign traders from Arabia & China met to exchange goods 

• Rulers welcomed Muslim & Chinese merchants 

Why present day Malaysia and Indonesia known as Spice Islands

Because of their exports that consisted of:

• Fragrant nutmeg 

• Connamoon

• Cloves

• Cardamon 

What goods did India produce

• Cotton 

• Woven carpets 

• High carbon steel 

• Tanned leather 

• Artisan crafted stonework 

• Pepper 

What goods did spice Islands produce

• Fragrant nutmeg

• Cinnamon

• cloves 

• Cardamon 

What goods did the Swahili coast produce

• Enslaved people 

• Ivory 

• Gold 

What goods did china produce

• Silks

• Porcelain

What goods did SouthWest Asia produce

• Horses 

• Figs 

• Dates 

Indian ocean slave trade

• More likely to provide forced labor in seaports, shipping industry, and household servants

• More opportunity to develop community 

• Enslaved people who ended in Islamic communities had certain rights 

Why were monsoon winds critical for ocean trading

• In inter wind originated from the northeast 

• Spring & summer, wind originated from Southwest 

• Merchants had to time their voyages carefully

• Traveled depending on favorable winds 

Lateen sails

• Triangular sails

• Could easily catch winds coming from different directions 

Stern rudder

• Gave ships more stability

• Made them easier to maneuver

Astrolabe 

• Magnetic compass 

• Allowed sailors to determine how far North or South they were from the equator

How Did Indian ocean trade allow Malacca to expand then make them a target of the Portuguese 

• Taxed incoming ships 

• Became so wealthy & powerful that they expanded 

• Became a target because the Portuguese wanted control of the trade routes they had 

Diaspora

Settlements of people away from their homeland 

How did Muslim merchants spread Islam and create diasporic communities in South Asia

• Intermarriage

• Arab and Eat African merchants in West indiport cities because they married women they met there

Where was the Muslim diasporic community located

• China

• Indian ocean

• Basin 

• Europe 

Where was the Chinese diasporic community located

• South East Asia 

• Africa 

Where was the Jewish diasporic community located

• China

• India

• Europe

Where was the Sogdian diasporic community located

• Along the silk road 

• China

Where was the Malay diasporic community located

• Sri Lanka

What were the effects of increased demand for products 

• Expanded trade 

• Taxes on imported goods 

• Producers had to find a way to be more efficient 

• Needed to strategies and be quicker

• Hired more people

What was the role of Gujarat

• Became go-between for trade between East & West

What does Swahili mean

Coasters

What was the role of Swahili city states

Inhabitants of bustling commercial centers

How did indian ocean trade benefit East Africa

• Brought wealth

• Mosques & homes made of stone or coral 

Zheng He

• Sent on the first of seven great voyages

• Traveled to Indonesia, and ceylon

How do the voyages of Zheng He demonstrate benefits of trade

• China opened up with new markets

• Returned with exotic treasures

• Brought back a new understanding of the world

• Inspired some to immigrate

How do the voyages of Zheng He demonstrate the negative effects of trade

• Worries that greater interaction & trade with foreign cultures threatened social order

• Looked down on other cultures

• Voyages were too expensive