Unit 2: Networks of Exchange 1200-1450

2.1: The Silk Roads 1200-1450  A

• Shaping of old cultures and beginnings of new cultures

• Stretched all the way from China to Europe and into North Africa

  • Existed before 1200 but worked best as a conduit of trade when large empires controlled all the land across which they stretched

    • 200 CE: Roman Empire and Han China had a robust trading relationship because they almost controlled all the land in the silk roads

    • Mongols: unified silk roads

• Trade moved goods all across afro-eurasia during good times

  • Goods often packed in saddlebags of a camel caravan

    • Not a lot of space for lots of travel so most goods were luxury goods

    • Chinese Silk

      • Exclusive to china, demand spread across world as it became a status symbol

• Silk roads as a conduit for culture

  • Buddhism spread widely throughout central and east asia through merchants and changed as it spread

    • Buddhist monasteries began to use lavish products despite the buddhist ideal of rejecting material value

    • Mahayana buddhism developed and spread across trade routes

      • Buddha became a deity, emphasis on compassionate works and earning of merit

  • Sogdian city of Samarkand

    • Buddhists used Zoroastrian fire rituals into religion

    • Syncretism and change

• Silk roads as a conduit for disease

  • Different civilizations had different diseases but as they connected, those with low immunity were affected

  • Black death/bubonic plague (1346-1351)

    • Nearly half of european population died between 1346-1348

    • Similar results in China and Islamic World

2.2: The Mongol Empires and the Making of the Modern World 1200-1450 T 

• Mongols (1206-1368) were pastoral people who emerged in 13th century who controlled largest land based empire in all of human history

  • However left a very small cultural footprint on history

• Temujin (Genghis/Chinggis Khan)

  • Born in 12th century into network of fractured mongolian tribes which warred against each other

  • Temujin and his family became social outcasts but his magnetic personality allowed him to create alliances between tribes uniting them and becoming chief

  • Reputation for ruthlessness with enemies, many military victories

• Mongol Tactics

  • Instead of destroying or enslaving enemies, incorporated them into military

• Mongol Expansion

  • First expanded to china

    • 1209 attack against chinese

    • Fierce attacks defeating armies and capturing cities 

    • Those defeated could either join mongol army or die 

• Organization of army led to success despite unfavorable odds

  • Organized in groups of 10, 100, etc. to easily command large groups of troops

  • Conquered people were scattered among groups to prevent rebellion

  • Army was fiercely loyal out of fear

    • If a member of a unit deserted, the whole unit was killed

• Tolerance

  • Allowed conquered people to keep religion

• Response to mongols

  • China: most difficult, 1209-1279 

    • Began in northern china and at first wanted to take power but goal changed to incorporating chinese into society

      • Wanted landowners to keep land as long as they pledged loyalty

    • Unified china into Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)

      • Some chinese even thought mongols had mandate of heaven

      • Used existing systems of taxation and administration

      • Roads built, canals improved, scholars and artists patronized

      • Forced out by peasant rebellions and plague

  • Persians: more abrupt than china

    • Persian forces fell quickly to mongols

      • Was hard for persians to understand that the infidel Mongols could have conquered them so easily

      • Mongols were brutal in their conquest

        • 1258 sacking of Baghdad killed 200,000 people 

    • After defeating persians, persians had more cultural influence than mongols did

      • Used persian administrative system, many mongols became muslim, allowed persian administrators to stay in power

    • Mongols in persia slowly assimilated and disappeared over time

2.3: Exchange in the Indian Ocean 1200-1450 A 

• Indian Ocean linked societies by sea

  • Largest sea based trade network before Atlantic in 1500s

  • Stretched from China all the way to East Africa

• Ships were larger so they could also trade bulk goods

  • Didn’t have to prioritize selling luxury goods

  • Porcelain from china, spices from SEA, cotton/spices from india, ivory/gold from East Africa

  • Bulk goods were crops such as wheat, sugar, rice

• Monsoon winds

  • By this period they had figured out patterns of wind so used seasonal winds to power ships

• Maritime innovations

  • Magnetic compass

  • Astrolabe calculated latitude

  • Chinese Junks: Large flat bottom ships with square sails with trunks to carry goods

• Growth of Indian Ocean Trade Routes

  • Existed before 1200 but saw greatest growth in 1200-1450

    • During Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties

    • China saw great economic prosperity and export

  • Also grew due to Islam

    • Islam is positive to merchant activity

    • Large islamic empires led to large area of land being positive towards trade

• Indian Ocean Changing Culture

  • SEA was right in middle of Indian Ocean Trade Routes so controlling islands was very important

  • Srivijaya Kingdom (c.600-c.1200)

    • Buddhist empire that controlled trade in Indonesia along key trade routes and cities

• Swahili Civilization

  • Civilization emerged in 8th century as a series of commercial city-states

    • Traded gold, ivory, slaves

    • Merchant class emerged, swahili commercial centers flourished

    • Each city state had its own king so it wasn’t centralized

    • Islam became dominant religion in area from muslim merchants

    • Swahili language fusion of native Bantu language and Arabic

2.4: Trans-Saharan Trade Routes 1200-1450 T

• Linked North Africa and Mediterranean with interior of Africa

  • Both areas had different goods from different climates which incentivized trade

  • North africa mainly produced manufactured goods like cloth, glasswork, books

  • Southwest Africa were agricultural: grain crops, yams, kola nuts

• Introduction of Arabian Camel facilitated trade

  • Camels could easily cross the harsh deserts allowing easier travel across Sahara

• Cultural changes in Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

  • 500-1600, west african civilizations grew

    • Kingdom of Mali (more info unit 1) peaked in 14th century

    • Monopoly on trade of horses and metals

    • Generated revenue by taxing salt and copper

    • Social hierarchy:

      • Similar to other civilizations, royalty, then elite classes, then merchants, then military/religion then peasants, then slaves

2.5: Cultural Consequences of Connectivity 1200-1450 A

• More was carried along trade routes than goods and services

• Religion

  • When religions were introduced to new areas, one of two outcomes

    • 1. Unified the people and justified leaders

    • 2. the religion syncretized with others mixing to create something new

  • Buddhism met Daoist beliefs in China resulting in Zen(Chan) Buddhism

  • Some Confucian scholar gentry in Song Dynasty opposed mixing of religions

  • Neo Confucianism

    • moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism

    • Popular in Song and Ming Dynasty

    • Spread to Korea and Japan

  • Muslim Merchants

    • Muslim merchants brought islam to East African Coast from Indian Ocean

    • Formed Swahili language

      • Swahili language fusion of native Bantu language and Arabic

    • Many Bantu people became Muslim

• Scientific and Technological consequences

  • Medical advances in Cairo led to improved care in hospitals

  • Physicians and pharmacists began to standardize their profession

    • Had to study for medical examinations and licensing

  • Triangular lateen sail

    • Allowed sailors to tack into wind for more flexibility in travel

  • Stern post rudder allowed for more precision in turning

  • Magnetic compass, astrolabe → navigation (more above

• Growth of cities

  • Hangzhou china, increase in trade led to increasing urbanization

    • Became largest and most metropolitan cities in china with population over 1 million

    • Great art from Hangzhou because people didn’t have to worry about food

      • Poetry and literature flourished

      • Poets Lu Yu and Xin Qiji 

    • Hangzhou was a diverse city with thriving Arab community

  • Travelers

  • Marco Polo

    • Due to mongols could travel far and wide

    • Marco Polo left home in venice in late 1200s and arrived at court of Kublai Khan

    • Kublai Khan was so interested in Polo’s stories that he made Polo ambassador to various parts of China

    • Jailed by enemies of Venetians and in jail he told stories of his travels which were written down and became very popular in Europe spreading interest for Asia and exploration.

  • Ibn Battuta

    • Muslim traveler who wanted to travel throughout dar al-Islam

      • Made pilgrimage to Mecca, moved through Persia, East African Coast, India, Mali, Spain, and elsewhere.

    • Kept a journal and commented on lands and people he visited

    • Publication of the journals had a similar effect on the Muslim population as Marco Polo’s stories 

2.6: Environmental Consequences of Connectivity 1200-1450 T

• Two major categories of things that spread through trade networks

  • Agriculture, disease

• Agriculture

  • Merchants traveled from place to place bringing new crops

    • Champa rice spread from Vietnam to China and was drought resistant with faster harvests

      • Led to great population growth

      • Environmental impact led to transformation of land

        • terrace farming: steps were cut in hillsides to plant rice

    • Bananas from SEA spread to Africa where Bantu-speaking people learned to plant and cultivate it

      • Yams were food staple for bantu, but could now move to areas where yams couldn’t grow 

      • Resulted in large scale migration which also happened in other areas when new crops were introduced

• Environmental effects

  • As population increases, more stresses on land

  • Overgrazing in Great Zimbabwe (more in unit 1) led to environmental degradation and it was abandoned in 1400s for that reason 

  • Land in Europe was changed through deforestation and Little Ice Age in 1300s

    • Resulted in large erosion of soil

• Spread of disease

  • Spread through merchants, especially black death (see above)

    • Disease spread through fleas, and once someone got it death was unpreventable

      • “Breakfast with family, dinner with ancestors”

    • Also spread by mongols and rats in ships through trade routes

  • Caravanserai

    • Little cities along silk roads where merchants could rest

    • Spread disease because people rested in close proximity to animals and animals have fleas

  • Economic results of black death

    • Changed relationship between workers and lords in Europe

      • Workers were scarce so had more value 

2.7: Comparison of Economic Exchange 1200-1450 A

• Trade Networks Review

  • Silk Road

    • Land based routes across Eurasia and north africa for over 2,000 years

      • Exchanged mostly luxury goods

      • Significant in transporting ideas, technologies, and religion

    • Declined in influence with the rise of sea-based trade routes and the growth of European colonialism

  • Indian Ocean Trade

    • Maritime network connecting coastal regions of Indian Ocean and SE Asia

      • Diverse group of traders exchanging luxury items and bulk produce (agriculture)

    • Facilitated by monsoon winds and Muslim’s trade supportive society

    • Declined in influence with the rise of sea-based trade routes and the growth of European colonialism

  • Trans-Saharan Trade

    • Land based routes across Sahara desert

      • Exchanged goods, ideas, and cultures between West Africa and the Mediterranean

      • Dominated by arab and Berber traders

        • Exchanged gold, salt, ivory, and other luxury items

        • Important source of exotic animals and plants

    • Facilitated by use of camels who could withstand desert conditions 

      • Important for spread of Islam and other religions

    • Declined in influence with the rise of sea-based trade routes and the growth of European colonialism

• Similarities and differences amongst all trade networks

  • Similarities:

    • Trade networks exchanged goods and resources

    • Trade networks were important in the economic development of the regions they connected

    • Trade Networks facilitated the exchange of ideas, cultures(religion), and technologies

    • All trade networks exchanged culture, technology, and biology (disease)

      • Buddhism on Silk Roads, Hinduism on Indian Ocean, and Islam on trans-Saharan 

    • Commercial improvement increased volume of trade

    • Trade networks promoted new trading cities (entrepôts)

    • Innovations in pre-existing transport and commercial technologies impacted the growth of trade

      • Caravanserai, forms of credit, development of money economies

  • Differences:

    • Goods traded varied and produced items symbolic to their region

      • Silk road: silk, spices, precious metals, luxury goods

      • Indian Ocean: spices, textiles, luxury goods, common goods in bulk

      • Trans-Saharan: Salt, gold, ivory, kola nuts

    • Geographical regions differed

      • Silk Road: Eurasia and parts of North Africa

      • Indian Ocean: Africa, Middle East, South Asia, SE Asia

      • Trans-Saharan: Mediterranean, West Africa

    • Transport and communication changed

      • Silk Road, Trans-Saharan: land-based transportation (camels)

      • Indian Ocean: Ships (lateen sail, dhows)

    • Political and economic context was different

      • Silk Road: controlled by powerful states or empires 

        • Mongols

      • Indian Ocean: open trade network, more decentralized

    • Changes in trade routes were a result of increasing productive capacity with changes in social structures, gender structures, and environmental changes

      • Need for luxury goods increased in Afro-Eurasia

      • Chinese, Persian, and Indian merchants expanded the supply of textiles and porcelains for export

      • Production of iron and steel expanded in China