AP World History: Unit 2.1 - The Silk Roads

UNIT 2: Networks of Exchange from c. 1200 to c. 1450

Understanding the Context (c. 1200 - c. 1450)

• Economic Expansion: Between 1200 and 1450, existing trade routes experienced a significant increase in both volume and scope of economic activity.

• Key Drivers of Trade Expansion:

  • Technological innovations.

  • Commercial innovations.

  • Imperial expansion.

  • Growing demand for luxury goods.

• Consequences of Growing Trade: Accelerated cultural, biological, and technological diffusion across Afro-Eurasia.

Factors that Expanded Trade

• Rise of Powerful States and Empires: Crucial for increasing trade volume and geographical reach.

  • Mongol Empire: Promoted trade along the Silk Roads, creating a vast commercial network across Eurasia. Their conquests and subsequent unification of previously fragmented areas under a single authority were paramount.

  • Mali Empire: Established by Sundiata in West Africa in 1235, it became prominent in trans-Saharan trade.

• Expanded Trade Routes:

  • Trade routes across the Sahara Desert integrated West Africa into the network.

  • Indian Ocean trade routes connected East Africa to the network.

• Improvements in Commercial Practices: Innovations like forms of credit facilitated larger networks of exchange, allowing for more complex transactions.

• Growing Demand for Luxury Goods: Fueled trade, including:

  • Silk and porcelain from China.

  • Gold from Africa.

Consequences of Trade

• Emergence of New Trading Cities: Powerful new trading cities developed across Africa and Eurasia (e.g., Kashgar, Samarkand).

• Significant Cross-Cultural Exchanges: Merchants and travelers facilitated the introduction of:

  • Religious Beliefs: Such as Islam.

  • Technological Developments: Such as paper making and gunpowder.

  • New Ideas and Cultures: Enriched societies along established routes.

• Rapid Spread of Deadly Diseases: Most notably, the bubonic plague (Black Death) began ravaging Europe around 1347, spreading through these interconnected networks.

Key Chronological Events

• \text{c. } 1200: Mongols conquer the Abbasid Caliphate and initiate improvements on the Silk Road.

• 1235: Sundiata forms the Mali Empire in West Africa.

• 1258: Muslim scholar Ibn Battuta embarks on his extensive travels through Asia, Europe, and Africa.

• 1324: West African ruler Mansa Musa commences his extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca.

• 1325: The Black Death, a severe plague, begins its devastation across Europe.

• 1347: Margery Kempe, renowned for writing one of the first autobiographies in English, passes away.

• 1405: Chinese admiral Zheng He launches his first of seven major voyages throughout the Indian Ocean.

• 1417: The Central Asian trading city of Samarkand begins construction of an impressive Islamic school.

2.1 The Silk Roads

• Essential Question: What were the causes and effects of the growth of networks of exchange after 1200?

• Revival and Vibrancy: After a period of disuse, the Silk Roads revived by the 8^{th} and 9^{th} centuries and remained vibrant and essential for interregional trade in the 14^{th} and 15^{th} centuries, as described by merchant Francesco Balducci Peglotti (1471), who noted the importance of respecting custom-house officers with presents for smooth trade.

• Luxury Goods Market: Increased demand for luxury goods in Europe and Africa led to expanded production of textiles and porcelains by Chinese, Persian, and Indian artisans and merchants.

• Logistical Improvements: Caravans made overland travel safer and more practical. China developed a system using paper money to manage the increasing volume of trade.

Causes of the Growth of Exchange Networks

1. The Crusades: These conflicts indirectly expanded networks of exchange by exposing European lords and knights to Eastern fabrics and spices, creating new demand.

2. Continued Operation of Trade Routes: Despite incursions by the Ottoman Turks on the Byzantine Empire, the Silk Roads, sea routes across the Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean routes remained active.

3. Mutual Demand: China sought Europe's gold and silver, while Europe increasingly desired silk, tea, and rhubarb from the East. This mutual demand fostered global trade, even before Europeans found sea routes around Africa.

4. Rise of New Empires: After the decline of classical civilizations (e.g., Roman and Han Empires) and the end of the first golden age of the Silk Roads, new empires revitalized trade.

   • Abbasid Empire: By the 8^{th} and 9^{th} centuries, Arab merchants from the Abbasid Empire revived both the land route of the Silk Roads and sea routes in the Indian Ocean.

   • Tang China's Contributions: Tang China was a major contributor to the newly revived global trade network with innovations such as the magnetic compass, paper, and gunpowder. China exported porcelain, tea, and silk, and imported cotton, precious stones, pomegranates, dates, horses, and grapes, which appealed to its affluent upper class. This period marked the second golden age of the Silk Roads.

5. The Mongol Empire (Most Significant Impact):

   • Conquests and Unification: The Mongols conquered the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258 and brought China under their control in the 14^{th} century. For the first time, vast segments of the Silk Roads were unified under a single authority.

   • Pro-Merchant Policies: The Mongols respected merchants and enforced laws, creating a more secure environment for trade.

   • Infrastructure and Safety: They improved roads and actively punished bandits, significantly enhancing the safety of travel along the Silk Roads.

   • New Trade Channels: The Mongols established new trade connections between Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, revitalizing routes that had not been heavily used since the classical Roman and Han Empires.

6. Improvements in Transportation Technologies:

   • Overland Travel:

     • Caravans: Traveling in groups (caravans) increased safety on the Silk Roads.

     • Camel Saddles: Advances in camel saddle design greatly increased the weight capacity an animal could carry, improving efficiency.

   • Naval Technology (China - centuries earlier):

     • Han Dynasty Innovations: Chinese scientists developed the magnetic compass and improved the rudder, crucial for navigation and ship control at sea.

     • Chinese Junk: Developed during the Han Dynasty, this ship was similar to the Southwest Asian dhow. It featured multiple sails and could be as long as 400 feet, significantly larger (at least triple the size) than typical Western European ships of its era. Its hull was divided into waterproof compartments, strengthening the ship for rough seas and minimizing the risk of sinking.

Effects of the Growth of Exchange Networks

Two major effects were the development of oases cities and commercial innovations to manage trade.

1. Cities and Oases:

• Strategic Locations: Long stretches of the Silk Roads traversed arid, inhospitable terrain where water was scarce. Cities located along rivers became vital and thriving trade centers.

• Kashgar:

  • Location: Situated at the western edge of China, where the northern and southern routes of the Silk Roads converged, leading to Central Asia, India, Pakistan, and Persia. It lies at the junction of the Taklamakan Desert and the Tian Shan Mountains.

  • Water Source: Watered by the Kashgar River, which irrigated fertile lands for crops like wheat, rice, fruits, and cotton.

  • Function: A critical resting and resupply point for travelers due to its abundance of water and food.

  • Economy: Artisans produced textiles, rugs, leather goods, and pottery, sold in a bustling market.

  • Culture: Originally a Buddhist city, it transformed into a significant center of Islamic scholarship due to cross-cultural exchange.

• Samarkand:

  • Location: In present-day Uzbekistan, within the Zeravshan River valley. It was a crucial stopping point on the Silk Roads between China and the Mediterranean.

  • Cultural Hub: Renowned as a center for cultural exchange, in addition to trade.

  • Religious Diversity: Archaeological evidence reveals the presence of diverse religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Islam.

  • Economy & Culture: Known for its artisans, centers of Islamic learning, and magnificently decorated mosques.

• Caravanserai (Inns):

  • Purpose: As routes became stabilized, inns (caravanserai) emerged along the arid Silk Roads, typically spaced about 100 miles apart—the approximate distance camels could travel before needing water.

  • Services: Provided essential rest for travelers and animals, and opportunities to trade animals for fresh ones.

  • Etymology: The word 'caravanserai' is derived from Persian words meaning "caravan" and "palace," reflecting their importance and grandeur.

2. Commercial Innovations:

• Money Economy in China: China had a long-standing money economy using copper coins rather than bartering with commodities like cowrie shells or salt.

• Flying Cash (China):

  • Problem: Copper coins became too cumbersome and risky to transport for increasing long-distance transactions.

  • Solution: The government developed a credit system called "flying cash," allowing merchants to deposit paper money in one location and withdraw an equivalent amount at another.

  • Significance: These locations for exchanging flying cash served as a foundational model for modern banking systems.

• Banking Houses (Europe, 1300s):

  • Development: Inspired by "flying cash," banking houses were established in European cities.

  • Bill of Exchange: These houses facilitated the use of a "bill of exchange," a document legally promising payment of a specific amount on a set future date to the holder. This innovation provided convenience and institutional stability, greatly encouraging trade.

• Hanseatic League (Northern Germany & Scandinavia, 13^{th} Century):

  • Commercial Alliance: A powerful commercial alliance formed by cities like Lubeck, Hamburg, and Riga to control trade in the North and Baltic Seas.

  • Monopoly and Piracy Control: The League monopolized trade in goods such as timber, grain, leather, and salted fish, and successfully drove out pirates.

  • Trade Routes: League ships sailed from the Baltic and North Seas, rounded the Atlantic Coast of Western Europe, and proceeded to Mediterranean ports to acquire valuable goods from Arab caravans.

  • Decline: The League persisted until the mid-\text{17}^{th} century when European national governments became strong enough to protect their own merchants, diminishing the need for such a confederation.

3. Increase in Demand and Production:

• Luxury Goods: The heightened demand for luxury goods from Afro-Eurasia, China, Persia, and India led directly to a corresponding increase in supply through expanded production.

• Craft Production: Craftworkers amplified their output of items such as silk, other textiles, and porcelains for export.

• Industrial Boost: Increased demand also spurred the expansion of iron and steel manufacturing in China, which contributed to its early proto-industrialization processes.

Innovations in Commerce (c. 500 B.C.E. to 1603 C.E.)

Key Terms by Theme

• TECHNOLOGY: Sea Trade:

  • magnetic compass

  • rudder

  • junk

• GOVERNMENT: New Empires:

  • Mongol Empire

• CULTURE: Trade Cities:

  • Kashgar

  • Samarkand

• ECONOMICS: Innovations:

  • caravanserai

  • money economy

  • flying cash

  • paper money

  • banking houses

  • bill of exchange

  • Hanseatic League