Expansion of Trade Networks in Afro-Eurasia

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the expansion of trade networks, cultural exchanges, and economic practices throughout Afro-Eurasia.

Expansion of Human Interaction

The growth of human interaction across regions led to significant cultural, technological, and biological diffusion.

Commercial Practices and Trade Volume

Improved commercial practices significantly increased the volume and geographical range of trade routes.

Interregional Trade Stimulation

Innovations in transportation and commercial technologies stimulated interregional trade, especially in luxury goods.

Demand for Luxury Goods (Afro-Eurasia)

Increasing demand for luxury goods in Afro-Eurasia led Chinese, Persian, and Indian artisans to expand production of textiles and porcelains.

Chinese Iron and Steel Production

The manufacture of iron and steel in China significantly increased due to growing demand and technological advancements.

Caravanserai

Inns located along major trade routes, particularly the Silk Roads, providing essential rest and resources for travelers and their animals.

Flying Cash / Flying Money

An early form of credit originating in China, used by merchants to facilitate trade over long distances without needing to carry large amounts of physical currency.

Silk Roads

A historical network of trade routes connecting East and West, primarily used for the exchange of luxury goods, ideas, and cultures.

Mongols

Key players in facilitating safe trade and extensive cultural exchanges across vast distances, particularly during the Pax Mongolica period.

Zheng He

A Chinese mariner known for leading massive expeditions in the Indian Ocean during the Ming Dynasty, establishing trade and tributary relationships.

Mali

A powerful West African empire that gained immense wealth by controlling crucial trans-Saharan trade routes, primarily dealing in gold and salt.

Growth of Silk Roads Exchange Networks (After 1200)

Commercial expansion in China (Tang and Song Dynasties) fueled trade growth through improvements in banking, credit, and the widespread use of papermoney.

Urban Growth along the Silk Roads

Cities like Chang'an (Tang capital) and Hangzhou (Southern Song capital) became major trade hubs with large populations and amenities, serving as vital centers for consumption and exchange.

Silk Roads Goods Traded: China (East Asia)

Luxury goods from China included silk (a near-monopoly), porcelain, tea, lacquerware, paper, iron, steel, and gunpowder.

Silk Roads Goods Traded: India

Goods from India included spices (pepper, cinnamon), cotton textiles, precious gems (sapphires, rubies), pearls, and herbal medicines.

Silk Roads Goods Traded: Persia/Middle East

Persia and the Middle East traded dates, nuts, dried fruits, carpets, glass, and precious metals along the Silk Roads.

Silk Roads Goods Traded: Central Asia

Central Asia contributed horses, furs, and amber to the Silk Roads trade.

Silk Roads Goods Traded: Europe/Mediterranean

From Europe and the Mediterranean, goods like wool, linen textiles, olive oil, wine, glass, and gold coins were traded.

Silk Production and its Economic Role

Silk production was predominantly carried out by women in rural China, forming a critical part of the economic structure.

Role of Silk in Trade and Society

Silk served as a high-value trade good, a form of currency, was often restricted to elite classes, and used as gifts for ceremonial purposes.

Religious Diffusion along the Silk Roads: Buddhism

Buddhism spread from India through Central Asia to China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia; Buddhist monasteries served as important cultural centers.

Religious Diffusion along the Silk Roads: Christianity (Nestorianism)

Christianity (specifically Nestorianism) was carried by missionaries and merchants to Central Asia and China.

Religious Diffusion along the Silk Roads: Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism

Persian religions like Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism diffused eastward through Silk Roads trade.

Technological Diffusion along the Silk Roads

Key technologies that spread along the Silk Roads included papermaking and gunpowder from China, printing techniques, and irrigation systems.

Agricultural Products Diffusion: Champa Rice

New crops, such as Champa rice (introduced from Vietnam to China), were exchanged across regions, significantly boosting populations.

Barter Economies

Economic systems where goods and services are traded directly without a standardized currency, often inefficient.

Money Economies

The emergence of banking and financial instruments led to greater trade efficiency and contributed to a decline in feudalism.

Cultural Consequences of Connectivity

The impact of trade networks on the spread of culture, religion, and ideas between different societies.

Spread of the Black Death (Bubonic Plague)

The Black Death spread along Silk Road trade routes starting in China, leading to significant population declines across Europe and Afro-Eurasia.

Key Trading Cities & Oases: East Asia (China)

Important East Asian hubs along the Silk Roads included Chang'an, Hangzhou, and Dunhuang.

Key Trading Cities & Oases: Central Asia

Vital Central Asian stops included Kashgar and Samarkand.

Key Trading Cities & Oases: Middle East and Europe

Significant trading cities included Baghdad, Damascus, Antioch, Tyre, and Constantinople.

Pre-Mongol Eurasia (State Building & Influence on Trade)

Eurasia before the Mongols was characterized by many ethnic and political groups, often posing challenges for trade.

Mongol Nomadic Society

Mongols lived in yurts, migrated for grazing, and were organized into tribal units.

Genghis Khan's Leadership

Genghis Khan unified various nomadic tribes, and his policy of cultural tolerance facilitated trade across his empire.

Mongol Empire Expansion

The Mongol Empire became the largest contiguous land empire in history.

Pax Mongolica

A period of enforced peace and stability across the Mongol Empire, enhancing trade opportunities.

The Four Mongol Khanates

After Genghis Khan's death, the empire split into four parts, each facilitating trade within its domain.

Increased Trade Volume under Mongols

The Mongol Empire facilitated an expanded flow of goods such as silk and spices.

Transfer of Knowledge under Mongols

Mongol rule aided the transfer of scientific knowledge among cultures.

Technological Dissemination under Mongols

Technologies like papermaking and gunpowder were widely disseminated across Eurasia.

Religious Tolerance under Mongols

The Mongols promoted religious tolerance across their empire.

Indian Ocean Goods Traded: Arabian Peninsula

The Arabian Peninsula exported incense, horses, dates, and later, coffee.

Shipping Costs in the Indian Ocean Trade

Lower shipping costs facilitated the trade of bulk goods.

Technological Advancements in Indian Ocean Trade: Navigation

Navigation innovations included the compass and astrolabe.

Technological Advancements in Indian Ocean Trade: Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding advancements allowed for sailing against the wind.

Indian Ocean Goods Traded: India

India exported cotton textiles, spices, gems, and finished goods.

Indian Ocean Goods Traded: Southeast Asia (Spice Islands)

Southeast Asia traded cloves, nutmeg, sugar, and tin.

Indian Ocean Goods Traded: China

China exported silk, porcelain, and raw materials during Zheng He's voyages.

Indian Ocean Goods Traded: East Africa (Swahili Coast)

The Swahili Coast traded gold, ivory, and animal hides.

Diasporic Communities in Indian Ocean Trade

Traders often settled in new regions, creating vibrant diasporic communities.

Religious Spread in the Indian Ocean: Islam

Islam spread extensively from the Arabian Peninsula to East Africa and Southeast Asia.

Religious Spread in the Indian Ocean: Hinduism and Buddhism

Hinduism and Buddhism continued their influence in Southeast Asia.

Linguistic Legacy of Indian Ocean Trade: Swahili

The Swahili language emerged as a blend of Bantu languages and Arabic.

Zheng He's Voyages (Aim and Impact)

Zheng He's expeditions expanded trade networks across the Indian Ocean.

Technological Innovation: Camel Saddle (Trans-Saharan)

The Arabian camel saddle facilitated longer journeys across the desert.

Empire Control of Trans-Saharan Trade

Major West African empires controlled trade routes, accumulating vast wealth.

Trans-Saharan Goods Traded: West Africa

West Africa exported gold, kola nuts, and enslaved people.

Trans-Saharan Goods Traded: North Africa/Mediterranean

North Africa supplied salt, horses, and manufactured goods.

Religious Spread in Trans-Saharan Trade: Islam

Islam spread from North Africa into West Africa.

Islamic Scholarship in West Africa (Timbuktu)

Timbuktu became a major hub for Islamic education and intellectual life.

Arabic Language in West Africa

Arabic became prominent in trade and administration across West Africa.

Mansa Musa (Key Person)

A famous ruler of the Mali Empire known for his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Key West African Empires and Hubs (Trans-Saharan)

Significant West African empires included Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

Islamic Networks of Exchange (Cultural Consequences)

Islamic networks led to agricultural innovations and the spread of scientific ideas.

The Islamic Green Revolution

Advanced agriculture through the introduction of new crops across regions.

Diffusion of Islam (Cultural Consequence)

Extensive spread and adaptation of Islam across Afro-Eurasia.

Diffusion of Buddhism (Cultural Consequence)

Buddhism continued to spread from India, adapting locally.

Diffusion of Christianity (Cultural Consequence)

Christian communities were established along trade routes.

Technological Innovations: Printing and Papermaking (Diffusion)

Technologies from China facilitated the dissemination of literacy and scholarship.

Scientific Advancements (Diffusion)

Arabic numerals and medical texts diffused to Europe.

Architectural Styles (Cultural Consequence)

Trade networks led to a blending of architectural styles across connected regions.

Ibn Battuta (Notable Traveler)

A 14th-century scholar who documented his travels across Islamic lands.

Marco Polo (Notable Traveler)

A Venetian merchant who influenced European understanding of Asian markets.

Environmental Impact: Water Management

Efforts for irrigation and maintaining oasis cities were crucial for sustaining trade routes.

Xuanzang (Notable Traveler)

A 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk who enriched Chinese Buddhism.

Environmental Consequences - Biological Transfers (Crops)

The spread of crops altered diets and agricultural practices.

Environmental Consequences - Biological Transfers (Animals)

Horses and camels impacted local ecosystems.

Environmental Consequence: Pathogens Spread

Diseases spread rapidly along trade routes, causing demographic shifts.

Environmental Consequence: Pest Spread

Rodents and insects often accompanied traded goods.

Environmental Impact: Deforestation

Increased demand for resources led to significant deforestation.

Environmental Impact: Overgrazing

Overgrazing by pack animals contributed to desertification.

The Little Ice Age Context

A period of climate cooling affecting agriculture and disease vulnerability.

Black Death and Labor Markets

Population declines due to the Black Death drastically affected labor markets.

Comparison of Economic Exchange - Types of Goods

Networks of exchange differed in the types of goods traded.

Comparison of Economic Exchange - Transportation Methods

Transportation methods varied between land-based and sea-based.

Comparison of Economic Exchange - Social Structures

Different networks supported varied social structures.

Social Implications of Exchange Networks

A shift toward maritime trade occurred in later decades.