Unit 2 Summary: Interregional Trade, Cultural Exchange, and the Mongol Empire

By the 12th century, new empires like Mali rose in Africa, spurred and influenced by trade.
Islam was introduced to Mali in the 9th century and connected them commercially to Muslim merchants across Afro-Eurasia during the period of 1200-1450.
Mansa Musa: The most powerful ruler in Mali who monopolized trade between the north and the interior of the continent, increasing Mali's wealth and expanding trade networks.

Buddhism entered China from India via the Silk Road and evolved into Chan Buddhism.
Chan Buddhism was then exported to Japan and became Zen Buddhism.
Hinduism and Buddhism spread into Southeast Asia through trade, influencing the Srivijayan and Majapahit states.
Islam spread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia through trade and conquest.
Swahili, a language with Arabic influence, facilitated trade in Africa.
Timbuktu in Mali became an international center for Islamic education. The Delhi Sultanate significantly impacted South Asia.

Champa rice from Vietnam led to a population explosion due to increased food supply.

Samarkand and Kashgar along the Silk Road became centers of Islamic scholarship and cultural flourishing.
Baghdad was sacked by the Mongols in 1258, leading to its decline.

Increased interconnectedness facilitated travel.
Ibn Battuta: A Muslim scholar who traveled extensively across the Islamic world over about 30 years, documenting the places, people, rulers, and cultures he encountered.
His travels were made possible by trade routes and global interconnectedness.

Bananas: Originally from Southeast Asia, bananas were introduced to Africa via Indian Ocean trade, contributing to the rise of powerful kingdoms.

The bubonic plague (Black Death) spread due to increased connectivity, becoming one of the deadliest diseases in world history.

The Mongols created the largest land-based empire in history.
The Mongols were most significant for creating conditions for increased interaction and cultural transfer among distant states.
The Mongol Empire facilitated trade by controlling the Silk Road network, ensuring safety and continuity along the routes.
They encouraged international trade and extracted wealth as facilitators of commerce on the Silk Road.
The Mongols facilitated communication and cooperation across Eurasia, with Persian and Chinese courts exchanging artisans, ambassadors, and military intelligence.
The Mongol policy of transferring skilled people across the empire resulted in the transfer of technology, ideas, and culture.
Science and Technology: Under the Ilkhanate, advances were made in astronomy and astronomical tools, increasing the accuracy of calendars. The astrolabe was improved, further boosting Indian Ocean trade.
Innovations: Massive observatories were built to predict solar and lunar eclipses accurately.