AP History: Networks of Exchange Notes

Networks of Exchange (1200 CE - 1450 CE)

Definitions & Overview

  • Networks of Exchange are interconnected trade routes facilitating the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas.

  • Silk Road was a major network linking states in Afro-Eurasia, expanding due to innovations in trade technology and commercial practices.

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Changes from c. 1200 to c. 1450

  • Expansion of trade routes strengthened connections among states in Afro-Eurasia.

  • Growth of cities and states driven by demand for luxury goods.

  • Example: In China, farmers shifted from food production to luxury goods like silk and porcelain due to increased demand.

    • The result was increased production of goods including iron and steel.

Major Trade Goods on the Silk Road

  • Luxury items such as:

    • Chinese silk and porcelain: due to high value versus transport difficulties.

    • Impact: Enhanced production and economic stimulation in regions like China, Persia, and India.

Innovations Encouraging Trade

  • Transportation Innovations:

    • Caravanserai: Inns providing safety and promoting cross-cultural interactions along trade routes.

  • Commercial Innovations:

    • Development of a money economy (e.g., paper money in China).

    • Introduction of Flying Cash for easy monetary transactions across regions.

    • Bills of Exchange in Europe functioned like checks for credit management.

Growth of Cities

  • Cities like Kashgar grew due to strategic locations along trade routes with water sources, enhancing commerce.

Indian Ocean Network
Key Knowledge for Merchants

  • Understanding of monsoon winds was crucial for navigation, blowing seasonally from one direction to another.

Technological and Commercial Innovations

  • Technological:

    • Magnetic compass: Improved navigation.

    • Astrolabe: For measuring latitude.

    • Ship designs (e.g., Chinese junks) with larger cargo capacity.

  • Commercial: Similar credit systems as on the Silk Road helped trade flow.

Trade Goods on the Indian Ocean

  • Bulk items like textiles and spices for their high cargo capacity.

Impact on Cities and Culture

  • Growth of ports as trade hubs (e.g. Swahili City-States) linked to Dar al-Islam promoted cultural diffusion, including Islam's spread and development of unique languages.

  • Zheng He: Key historical figure who facilitated trade expansion and cultural exchanges during his voyages for the Ming Dynasty.

Trans-Saharan Trade Networks
Innovations for Trade

  • Improved Camel Saddles enabled larger cargo transport across deserts.

Cultural and Economic Growth

  • Empire of Mali gained wealth through the gold trade and control over trade routes, exemplified by Mansa Musa.

  • Spread of religions (Islam and Hinduism) and cultural exchanges (e.g., translations of texts) were significant outcomes of trade interactions.

Consequences of Increased Trade (c. 1200 - c. 1450)
Significant Innovations

  • The introduction of gunpowder from China facilitated military advancements across Europe and Asia.

  • Urbanization example: Hangzhou, a city that thrived due to its connections to trade networks.

  • Decline example: Baghdad, which suffered after the Mongol invasion in 1258.

Influential Travelers

  • Ibn Battuta: Muslim scholar whose extensive travels documented various cultures and facilitated historical understanding.

Environmental Effects of Trade

  • Spread of Champa rice into China promoted population growth while the Bubonic Plague disseminated via trade routes, causing major demographic shifts.

The Mongol Empire
Political and Economic Impact

  • The Mongols created the largest land-based empire, enhancing trade connectivity via the Pax Mongolica, ensuring security for merchants.

  • Significant technological and cultural exchanges occurred across their vast empire, including the adoption of scripts and medical knowledge transfers to Europe.

Conclusion

  • The Mongols played a vital role in facilitating trade, connecting diverse cultures, and promoting significant cultural and technological transfers.

Summary of Effects

  • Increased trade networks resulted in urbanization, cultural blending, and significant technological innovations that defined the period between 1200 and 1450.