UNIT 2 - Networks of Exchange

What were the main causes of the growth of exchange networks?

Crusades opened new networks; rise of new empires (Abbasid, China, Mongols); transportation improvements (magnetic compass, rudder, junk, camel saddle).

What were the effects of the Silk Roads on cities?

Created thriving cities like Kashgar (abundant food/water) and Samarkand (center of cultural exchange); development of caravanserai (inns every 100 miles).

What were the economic effects of the Silk Roads?

New financial systems—money economy, flying cash, banking houses; Hanseatic League formed to protect trade interests; early form of the EU.

What were other effects of the Silk Roads?

Spread of bubonic plague; trade in luxury goods (silk, porcelain, spices, horses, fruits); cultural diffusion and artistic influence; city growth.

Who were the Mongols and who was Chinggis Khan?

Pastoral nomads north of the Gobi; skilled horsemen and herders. Genghis Khan (Temujin) united tribes, used merit-based promotions, and conquered vast regions.

How did the Mongols conquer under Genghis Khan?

Brutal tactics, killed male aristocrats, enslaved skilled workers; promoted by merit; used siege weapons and strategies from conquered peoples.

How did Genghis Khan govern his empire?

Promoted Pax Mongolica; religious tolerance; built bridges; Yam postal system; protected Silk Roads; used Uyghur script; gave autonomy to conquered peoples.

What were the weaknesses of Mongol rule?

Poor administration, overextension, economic strain, and no clear succession plan → empire split into 4 khanates.

Describe the Golden Horde.

Khanate in Russia/Central Asia by Batu; Russians paid tribute until Ivan III overthrew them in 1380.

Describe the Il-Khanate.

Khanate in the Middle East by Hulegu; sacked Baghdad, killed the caliph, adopted Islam, Persians as administrators.

Describe the Yuan Dynasty.

Chinese khanate by Kublai Khan; rebuilt cities; religious tolerance; hired foreigners; ended civil service exams; promoted trade.

Describe the Chagatai Khanate.

Central Asian khanate; ruled by descendants of Chagatai Khan.

What were the long-term impacts of Mongol invasions?

Spread of plague; invention of the cannon; cultural diffusion; movement of scholars; eventual decline of Yuan Dynasty.

What caused expansion of Indian Ocean trade?

Spread of Islam; demand for goods; monsoon wind knowledge; maritime tech (lateen sails, rudder, compass, astrolabe).

What goods were traded in the Indian Ocean?

India: textiles, pepper, steel; SE Asia: spices; Africa: slaves, ivory, gold; China: silk, porcelain; SW Asia: horses, figs, dates.

How did Indian Ocean trade grow states and cities?

Melacca gained wealth from naval tolls; Swahili city-states like Mombasa & Zanzibar thrived; boosted regional power.

What were other effects of Indian Ocean trade?

States like Gujarat grew rich from port taxes; spread of religion & tech; Zheng He’s voyages spread Chinese prestige.

How did people trade across the Sahara?

Camel saddles enabled long-distance trade through oases.

What goods were traded across the Sahara?

Gold, salt, slaves, and ivory.

Describe the rise of the Mali Kingdom.

Founded by Sundiata; peaked under Mansa Musa, a devout Muslim who made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca and was extremely wealthy.

How was religion impacted by trade?

Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam; syncretism (Zen Buddhism, Neo-Confucianism); cultural blending in art and languages (Swahili, Urdu).

What scientific & technological innovations spread via trade?

Papermaking, mathematics, medicine, seafaring tools (astrolabe, compass), gunpowder, Champa rice, and new farming methods.

What were additional effects of trade connectivity?

Urban growth (Timbuktu, Samarkand, Hangzhou); plague devastation; Crusades kept Europe connected; feudalism weakened.

Who was Marco Polo and what did he do?

Italian merchant who visited Yuan China; his writings inspired renewed European interest in Asian trade.

Who was Ibn Battuta and what did he do?

Moroccan Muslim traveler who visited most of the Islamic world; documented cultures from an Islamic viewpoint.

Who was Margery Kempe?

English mystic who traveled across Europe and the Holy Land; wrote the first autobiography by a middle-class medieval woman.

What were agricultural consequences of connectivity?

Spread of crops (Champa rice, bananas, cotton, sugar, citrus); new farming (terraces, paddies); environmental damage and Little Ice Age.

How did trade relate to contagious disease?

Increased contact spread diseases like the bubonic plague through Silk Roads and other routes.

What was the impact of the bubonic plague?

Killed 1/3 of Europe; weakened feudalism; higher wages; reduced agricultural output; millions died in Asia and Europe.