Chapter Overview

Introduction to Commerce and Culture 600-1450

• The examination of commerce during the period 600-1450 highlights early forms of economic globalization.

• Example: Nayan Chanda’s 2004 experience ordering an iPod which illustrates modern-global commerce reaching back historically through the development of interconnected trade routes.

Silk Roads: Exchange across Eurasia

Growth of the Silk Roads

• Early trade between distant peoples shaped by geography and historical connections.

• Silk Roads linked pastoral and agricultural civilizations, creating a continuous exchange network across Eurasia.

Goods in Transit

• Various valuable goods, particularly luxury items (silk, spices) being exchanged.

Cultures in Transit

• Exchange also involved the movement of ideas and cultural practices (e.g., Buddhism).

Disease in Transit

• Movement of pathogens (e.g., during the Black Death) alongside goods influenced populations.

Cultural Impact of Commerce

• Trade altered daily life, social structures, and relationships among civilizations.

• Example: West African salt trade for gold; the impact of incense trade in ancient empires such as Egypt, Babylon, and China.

Sea Roads: Exchange across the Indian Ocean

Economic Context

• Indian Ocean trade routes favored by predictable monsoon winds allowing maritime commerce.

• Lower transportation costs compared to Silk Roads made sea-based trade advantageous.

Commodities Traded

• Various goods including spices, textiles, and luxury items were traded, unifying a network of merchant communities.

Cultural Exchange and Isolation

• Exchange offered opportunities for cultural interaction, technological transfer (advancements in shipbuilding, navigation), and establishment of trade routes.

Sand Roads: Exchange across the Sahara

Commercial Beginnings in West Africa

• Trans-Saharan trade routes connected North Africa to sub-Saharan regions, heavily relied on camel caravans introduced around 300-400 c.e.

Key Resources and Trade Goods

• Gold, salt, ivory, and slaves formed core of trade commodities.

• The rise of powerful kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, Songhay) was influenced by trans-Saharan commerce.

Impact of Trade

• Development of social hierarchies tied to trade, with distinct classes forming in emerging West African civilizations.

An American Network: Commerce and Connection in the Western Hemisphere

Limited Interaction

• Compared to Afro-Eurasia, interactions were sparse due to geographical constraints and lack of transportation technologies (e.g., wheel).

Regional Trade Networks

• Established trade routes among native civilizations facilitated limited exchanges of goods and cultural practices.

Economic Globalization: Ancient and Modern

Comparisons

• Early trade networks during 600-1450 laid groundwork for modern economic globalization, illustrating the interplay of commerce and culture in ancient times.

Conclusion

• Trade during this period showcased a complex and interwoven web of economic relationships, cultural exchanges, and social dynamics that shaped human civilization across continents.