AP World Unit 2

Types of goods carried on Silk Roads

Luxury products for elite/wealthy-only commodities of great value could compensate for high transport costs on long and dangerous distances

Ideas and technology spread on the Silk Road

Yokes, saddles, stirrups, use of camels, horses, oxen, frame and mattress saddle (heavier load)

Paper money, bills of exchange (contract promising payment), urban banking houses offer credit to merchants

Camels and pack animals

Use to transport large amounts of goods

Caravanserai, oasis cities

Merchants stopped at inns/guesthouse along trade routes to rest, exchange goods, resupply animals. Centers of exchange as many diverse religious and cultural traders met. Some turned into major cities (pop up at crossroads): Bukhara, Samarkand, Khotan, Kashgar, Dunhang (Buddhist learning), Tashkent, Kasgar, Damascus, Xi’an, Delhi

Paper money, bank houses, notes of exchange

Monetary innovations that increased silk roads exchange as it made trade easier. No heavy coins required, banks offering credit to merchants, contract promising later payment.

Sogdians

Spread of Buddhism

Indian traders and Buddhist monks brought it to central and east Asia on trans Eurasian routes. Took root in Oasis cities: Meru, Samarkand, Khotan, Dunhuang. Rich spiritual tradition and link to large wealthy Indian empire drew rulers and people to convert. Changed as it spread.

Buddhist monasteries on Silk Road

Monasteries in rich oasis towns. Involved in more secular affairs, prosperous from receiving gifts from wealthy merchants, etc. change from shunning material world.

Cave art in Dunhuang

Center of Buddhist leaning, painting, sculpture. Remarkable gallery of art in caves, preserved with Buddha sculptures and bodhisattvas.

The Black Death

Causes by bacteria carried by rodents and transmitted by fleas. Spread through trade routes in Mongol empire. Originated in China. Signification loss of life through whole world.

Impact of Black Death

Sharp contraction of population, devastated civilization. Negatively affect traded, collapse of Mongol empire and land based trade route shut down. Led to Europe taking sea routes.

Indian Ocean naval technology

Used monsoon patterns. Oceanic navigation. Improvements in sails: Chinese junk ships, Arab dhows (triangle), calculating latitude (astrolabe), evolving compass

Swahili City states

Rose due to Indian Ocean commerce and spread of Islam (trade interactions). State building from wealth.

Buddhism and Islam on the Sea Roads

Indian cultural diffusion lead to Buddhism and Hinduism spreading. Islam also spread by 1400 to attract merchant traders, blending easily with Buddhism and Hinduism. Widespread conversion to Islam for easier trade, Buddhist leaders had Muslim names.

State building in Indonesia

Islam/Muslim merchants on the Sea Roads

Muslim port cities across east Africa and south east Asia. Friendly to trade. Swahili city states, Melaka

Religious monuments (Angkor wat, Borobudur)

Trade and Islam

Element of trust between culturally different merchants. Vast arena for Muslim traders. Enabled sea roads.

Great Zimbabwe

Islam did not spread. Powerful state from trade in gold to east coast and wealth from herds of cattle. Indian Ocean commerce. Resources and labor to build large stone buildings.

Differences between Ming oceanic voyages and European oceanic voyages

Ming: greatest navy in the world. Intended to enroll people for Chinese tribute system. Crew of 27,000 on board. Commissioned by Chinese emperor for power and prestige over state. Lasted short period of time. Temporary to establish trade relations and tribute.

European: skilled on sea. Organizing trade and communication. Plundered wealthier civilizations and spread disease. Brought own culture and people. Longer and larger scale. Christianity, European languages, settled societies, western science and tech, brought influence.

Ming Dynasty, achievements

Fleet expeditions.

Reaction to the Mongols

Zheng He

Captain of fleet expeditions. Intended to enroll people in Chinese tribute system. Muslim eunuch.

Sand Roads: Mali, Songhai, Ghana

Sand Roads Sub-Saharan trade (gold, salt, slaves)

Sand Roads: Camel Saddle

American Web

Aztec Pochteca

Incan Roads

Cahokia

Chaco Phenomenon

Spread of Maize

Compare Silk, Sea and Sand Roads

Explain how trade networks in America were different from those in Afro-Eurasia

Common features of pastoral people

Differences between pastoral and agricultural societies

Relationship between pastoral and agricultural societies

Pastoral technology

Examples of pastoralists Xiongnu, Arabs, Berbers, Turks

Role of women in the mongol society

Had power in court life. Did not conform to traditional gender ideals. Treated equally bc pastoral society. 

Genghis Khan

1206-1226. Unified Mongols/pastoralists by relying on friends. War machine. Mobilizes entire population. Siege warfare and cavalry. Psychological warfare. Warrior culture. Jebbe. Absorbed helpful people. War machine

Rise of the Mongol Empire

Good timing: China was divided and abassid caliphate weak. Strong organizing, discipline army. Organized military structure. Good horseback fighting skills. Effective commands and control. Reputation for brutality and destructiveness. Used conquered people in military.

Mongol military tactics and technology

Skilled warriors. Organized structure into military units of 10 up to 10k. Borrowed Chinese siege warfare. Encirclement, retreat, deception. Mobilized entire population. Surrender or die. Psychological warfare: sleep deprive. Warrior culture. Absorbed helpful people. Stirrups, armor. Gunpowder. 

Mongol attempts to invade Japan

2 failed invasions. Could not get onto mainland because of typhoons. Japanese thought they were divinely protected and couldn’t be conquered, called the winds divine winds (kamikazes). 

Causes of Mongol military success

Good timing: China was divided and abassid caliphate weak. Strong organizing, discipline army. Organized military structure. Good horseback fighting skills. Effective commands and control. Reputation for brutality and destructiveness. Used conquered people in military. Wealthy from conquered civilizations.

Mongol Khanates and regions they conquered

4.khanate of Golden Horde: russia (kipchak) indirect

The ilkhanate (Persia) house of wisdom, assimilate

Khanate of great khan (China/yuan) khubilai

Chagatai khanate (silk roads/turkic/Central Asia)

Compare Mongol rule in China, Persia, Russia

Russia: no direct rule, less influenced, required tribute, taxes, slavery, burning of cities

China: direct rule, Yuan dynasty, discriminated against Chinese, didn’t learn language, treated as slaves, brief rule (rebellion), no intermarriage

Persia: became Muslims, learned Persian, assimilated into culture, married locals, became farmers, not driven out

Explain effects of Mongol rule (short term and long term)

Exchange of technology: Chinese tech spread, Muslim astronomers, tech helpful to Europeans

religion: tolerant, worship of all religions, married Christians

goods: spread of plants and crops, goods from across Eurasia

silk roads protection: provided secure environment for Merchants to travel across Silk Road

disease (black death): spread across empire

Impacts on conquered regions: more trade, diplomatic relations, religious toleration, cultural exchange, good and tech exchange, massacre if resisted, stability, spread of disease

Impact of mongols on Islam

Mongols in Persia converted to Islam.

Causes of the fall of the Mongol empire

Loss of life due to plague, fragmented due to infighting, trade route closed

Mongol Khanates

Separated into 4 khanates after genghis khan death for easier government administration, but still connected

The crusades

Interactions between and amongst Islamic world

Islam and trade

Cultural and intellectual transfers in Islamic world