a vast network of roads and trails that facilitated trade and spread of culture and ideas across Eurasia in and before the period 1200-1450 (cultural diffusion)

mainly luxury items were exchanged in the silk roads, mainly Chinese silk

The silk roads expansion ; causes →

development of innovation and commercial practices such as the

1. money economy by the Chinese (started using paper money for trade)

   With the introduction of paper money to facilitate trade, a merchant could deposit bills in one location and then withdraw the same amount in another location thus increasing the ease of travel and the security of transactions.

2. Increasing use of credit (flying money)

3. rise of banks ( to keep the flow of trade steady) - bills of exchange

innovations→

1. caravanserai- provided safety from plunderers, became centers of cultural exchange and diffusion, restin places

2. saddles

Increase in trade due to developments in innovation and commercial practices

effects of the expansions of the silk road

1. → growth of new cities, located along the trade routes

• Kashgar (convergence of 2 major trade routes , built around a river so traveling merchants could stop by for water.) Travelers depended on it for its abundance in food and water, and materials from artisans

With increasing demand for interegional trade, Kashgar became a destination itself for hosting high profitable markets and a thriving center for Islamic scholarship

Kashgar and Samarkand(another new city) → strategically located on silk rads and centers of cultural exchange

2. expansion of trade networks led to the increased demand for luxury items (Chinese silk and porclein),

• as demand grew, Chinese, Indian, and Persian artisans increased their production of these goods.

proto-industrilization (a process by which China produces more good than their own population could consume, which then sold to distant markets

3. cultural diffusion

   • Islamic merchants spread Islam, and Buddhist merchants spread Buddhism, merchants were exposed to new ideas /innovation when they met at the caravserias.

Rise of new empires

→ after collapse of classical civilizations, 1st golden age of silk roads ended, but was later revived by arab merchants from Abbasid Empire as well as sea routes in indian ocean

→Tang china offered compass, paper, and gunpowder. China-porcelain, tea, and silk and recived cotton, stones, pomegranates, dates, horses, and grapes. (SECOND GOLD AGE of silk roads)

→ Mongol Empire had an significant impact on the expansion of trade as they conquered abbasid caliphate, chine so the various rulers that were involved in the Silk Roads had shared authority that respected merchants and laws. Mongols improved roads, punished bandits

→ Improvements in Transportation Technologies such as the caravans which was safer traveling alone as well as development of saddles to increase loads

effects of the growth of exchange networks (cities along trade routes with rivers become thriving centers of trade

Samarkand (shows presence of diverse religions such as christianity, buddism, zoroastrianism, and Islam

Crusades awakened European’s interest in luxury good from Asia and to receive them , they organized a trade of European resources (commercial alliance called the Hanseatic League)