ARCHIPELAGO OF TRADE - Trade Routes and Networks

Flashcards covering key concepts and terms from the Archipelago of Trade notes.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Trade routes across the Sahara linking West Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean, famous for the gold-salt trade.

Indian Ocean Sea Lanes

A sea-based network linking East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, aided by monsoon winds and ships like dhows and junks.

Monsoon Winds

Seasonal winds that drive Indian Ocean travel, enabling predictable sailing patterns for long-distance trade.

Dhow

A traditional sailing vessel used in Indian Ocean trade.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails that allow ships to tack against the wind, common on Indian Ocean and Mediterranean routes.

Junks

Large Chinese sailing ships used in Indian Ocean trade.

Hangzhou

A major Chinese city on the Silk Road and maritime trade hub.

Samarkand

A major Silk Road city in Central Asia.

Sogdian Merchants

Merchants from Sogdia (Central Asia) along the Silk Road.

Zheng He

Ming dynasty admiral who led large maritime expeditions in the Indian Ocean.

Kilwa

A Swahili city-state on the East African coast involved in the Gold-Salt trade.

Swahili City-States

A network of East African coastal trading cities (including Kilwa) that traded across the Indian Ocean.

Great Zimbabwe

A medieval city in southern Africa involved in regional trade networks.

Timbuktu

A major trading and learning center on the Trans-Saharan trade routes in the Mali Empire.

Gold-Salt Trade

The exchange of gold from West Africa for salt from North Africa across the Sahara.

Berbers

North African desert peoples who facilitated Sahara caravan trade.

Oases

Green, water-rich spots in deserts that served as rest stops for caravans.

Camel Caravan

A convoy of camels traveling together to move goods across deserts.

Camel Saddle

A saddle used on camels to carry heavy loads.

Sahara Desert

The vast North African desert that served as the corridor for Trans-Saharan trade.

Sahel

Semi-arid region south of the Sahara that linked to the Gold-Salt Trade.

Entrepot

A trading hub where goods are imported, stored, and redistributed.

Caravanserai

An inn along trade routes for caravans to rest, resupply, and recover.

Relay Trade

A system of moving goods through multiple intermediaries to reach distant markets.

Astrolabe

An instrument used to determine latitude and aid navigation by celestial positions.

Stern Mounted Rudder

A rudder mounted at the stern that improves ship steering and maneuverability.

Magnetic Compass

An instrument for determining direction at sea.

Paper Money

Currency in paper form used in China and later elsewhere as a form of credit.

Banking Houses

Financial institutions that facilitated credit, money exchange, and long-distance finance.

Gujarat

A prosperous trading state on the west coast of India, a major hub in the Indian Ocean trade network known for its textile production and merchant activity.

Sultanate of Malacca

A powerful Muslim state on the Malay Peninsula (15th-16th centuries), becoming a critical entrepot in the Indian Ocean trade, controlling the Strait of Malacca.

Eunuchs

Castrated men who served as trusted advisors, officials, or palace guards in various empires (e.g., Chinese, Ottoman), often holding significant political influence.

Southernization

A historical concept describing the spread of innovations from Southern Asia (like mathematics, spices, and technologies) to other parts of the world, similar to Westernization.

Malay

An Austronesian ethnic group native to the Malay Peninsula, eastern Sumatra, and coastal Borneo, playing a key role in the maritime trade networks of Southeast Asia.

Diasporic Communities

Groups of people who have left their original homeland and settled in other areas, often maintaining cultural ties and facilitating trade, cultural exchange, and the spread of religion.

Currency

A generally accepted form of money, including coins and paper notes, used for economic transactions; varied greatly across different regions and time periods.

Flying Cash

A system of credit or promissory notes developed in Tang Dynasty China, allowing merchants to deposit money in one location and withdraw it in another, reducing the need to transport heavy coined money.

Steppe

Vast grasslands, particularly in Eurasia, home to nomadic pastoralist groups like the Mongols, and crucial for overland trade routes such as the Silk Road.

Black Death

A devastating global pandemic of bubonic plague that occurred in the mid-14th century, originating in Asia and spreading along trade routes, causing massive population decline in Eurasia and North Africa.

Stirrup

An invention (likely Central Asian) that provided stability and leverage for horseback riders, dramatically enhancing the effectiveness of cavalry in warfare and influencing military tactics across Eurasia.

Yoke

A wooden beam used to harness two draft animals (such as oxen) together for plowing or pulling carts, significantly improving agricultural efficiency and transportation.

Baghdad

Founded in 762 CE, it became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and a major intellectual, cultural, and commercial center of the Islamic Golden Age, a key node in the Silk Road economic activity.