Unit 2 Networks of Exchange (c. 1200 - c. 1450) Notes

UNIT 2: NETWORKS OF EXCHANGE (c. 1200 - c. 1450)

Understand the Context

• Increased Trade Activity: From c. 1200 to c. 1450, existing trade routes saw a significant rise in economic activity driven by:
  • Technological and commercial innovations
  • Imperial expansion
  • Demand for luxury goods
• Cultural and Technological Diffusion: The growing trade networks facilitated rapid cultural, biological, and technological exchanges across Afro-Eurasia.

Factors Expanding Trade

• Rise of Powerful States and Empires: The expansion of powerful empires, particularly the Mongol Empire, enhanced the volume and geographical reach of trade.
  • Mongol Empire: Promoted trade along Silk Roads, improving the safety and efficiency of commercial networks across Eurasia.
• Sahara and Indian Ocean Trade Routes: Expanded connections between West and East Africa.
• Improvements in Credit Systems: Innovations like credit systems allowed larger networks of exchange.
• Demand for Luxury Goods: Increased interest in silk, porcelain from China, and gold from Africa.

Consequences of Trade

• Emergence of Trading Cities: Development of major trading cities across Africa and Eurasia facilitated significant cross-cultural exchanges.
• Introduction of Religions and Technologies: Merchants and travelers introduced Islam, paper making, and gunpowder to new regions.
• Spread of Diseases: Notably, the bubonic plague was rapidly transmitted through growing trade networks.

Timeline of Key Events

• 1200: Mongols conquer Abbasid Caliphate, enhancing the Silk Road.
• 1258: Muslim scholar Ibn Battuta begins his travels across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• 1325: Black Death begins its spread across Europe.
• 1347: Author Margery Kempe, known for one of the first autobiographies in English, dies.
• 1440: Events continue to develop around trade and trade routes.

The Silk Roads

• Revival and Importance: The Silk Roads revived by the 8th and 9th centuries, becoming vital for interregional trade in the 14th and 15th centuries.
• Demand for Goods: Increased demand for textiles, fabrics, and spices in Europe and Africa drove trade.
• Security and Innovations: Caravans and paper currency made travel safer and encouraged exchange.

Causes of the Growth of Exchange Networks

• Impact of the Crusades: Crusaders returned with knowledge of Eastern goods, expanding trade networks.
• Rise of Empires: Post-classical empires, particularly Mongols, unified and enhanced trade routes and practices.
  • Mongol Contributions: Unified previously fragmented Silk Road sections, offering protection and law.
• Technology Improvements: Innovations in transportation technologies facilitated trade.
  • Design of camel saddles improved load capacities, while maritime advances allowed for better naval control.

Effects of the Growth of Exchange Networks

• Development of Oases and Cities: Cities such as Kashgar and Samarkand became cultural and commercial hubs along the routes, fostering trade and scholarship.
• Caravanserai: Rest stops along trade routes that enhanced trade efficiency by providing rest for travelers and animals.
• Financial Innovations: China developed the 'flying cash' system leading to early forms of banking, allowing for convenient transactions.
• Hanseatic League: An alliance of cities controlling trade in the North and Baltic Sea, showcasing the importance of trade alliances.

Innovations in Commerce (500 B.C.E. to 1603 C.E.)

• Currency and Banking Evolution: Development of coins, ‘flying cash’, bills of exchange, and banking houses demonstrated the complexity of trade finance.

Increase in Demand for Luxury Goods

• Impact on Production: Increasing demand for finer products led to proto-industrialization in Asia, with expanded production of textiles, silk, and porcelain.

Key Terms by Theme

• Technology: magnetic compass, rudder, junk (ship design), saddles
• Government: Mongol Empire
• Culture: Kashgar, Samarkand
• Economics: caravanserai, flying cash, banking innovations, Hanseatic League

The Mongol Empire and the Modern World

• Genghis Khan's Leadership: Through brutal military campaigns, he created the largest continuous land empire in history while fostering trade and cultural exchange in the Pax Mongolica era.
• Military Innovations: Mongols utilized advanced military tactics, including surprise retreats and integrating conquered technologies, enhancing their warfare efficiency.
• Cultural Impact: The Mongols established a system of laws that facilitated the growth of trade and maintained order across their territory.

Exchange in the Indian Ocean

• Emergence of Trade: Muslim merchants played a crucial role in the Indian Ocean trade, using their knowledge to facilitate exchanges across vast distances.
• Environmental Knowledge: Understanding monsoon winds shaped trade patterns, while maritime advancements such as lateen sails enhanced capabilities for sea travel.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

• Significance of the Sahara: The Sahara's trade routes connected sub-Saharan communities to North Africa, enriching societies through the exchange of gold, salt, and other goods.
• Impact of Empires: The rise of empires like Mali under leaders such as Sundiata and Mansa Musa highlighted the importance of trade and wealth in political and cultural influence.

Cultural Consequences of Connectivity

• Cultural Diffusion: The interactions through trade routes led to significant exchanges of culture, religion, technology, and knowledge, expanding worldviews.
• Impact of Travelers: Accounts from travelers like Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, and Margery Kempe shed light on the multicultural interactions occurring during this period.

Environmental Consequences of Connectivity

• Bubonic Plague: Trade networks facilitated the spread of diseases like the Black Death, significantly impacting populations across Europe and Asia.
• Agricultural Expansion: Increased trade led to the introduction of new crops, influencing local agriculture and population growth.