AP World History Unit 2 Notes

Unit 2: Networks of Exchange (1200-1450)

Time period: 1200-1450.
Focus: How states were connected through networks of exchange.
Networks of exchange: Not just trade routes; also conduits for religion, languages, and technology.
These networks drove both economic and broader cultural interactions.

All three networks (Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan) existed before but expanded geographically during this period.
Expansion was due to:
- Increased demand.
- Innovations in commercial practices.
- Technological innovations.

Eurasian network.
Primarily traded luxury goods (Chinese silk and porcelain).
High cost and difficulty of travel justified trade in premium goods only.
Increased demand led to increased production by Chinese, Indian, and Persian artisans.
Focus on luxury goods brought different cultures together, enabling cultural and technological transfers.

Development of money economies (paper money) in China.
Money economies facilitated exchange, unlike barter systems.
Metal-based money was heavy; paper money allowed merchants to deposit/withdraw funds, easing travel and increasing transaction security.
This was known as the "flying money" system in China.
Introduction of new forms of credit, also pioneered by the Chinese.
New forms of credit ensured that trading partners in different states were trustworthy. This ensured successful transactions and fostered trust through distant trade agreements and partnerships.

Connected East Africa, Middle East(Southwest Asia), South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Unlike Silk Roads' luxury focus, Indian Ocean trade involved common goods (textiles, pepper, timber, rice, sugar, etc.) due to lower transportation costs.
Technological innovations:
- Improved ship designs (lateen sail, stern rudder).
- More accurate astronomical charts and navigational tools (compass).

Settlements of ethnic groups in locations outside their homeland.
Example: Arab and Persian communities in East Africa.
Intermarriage between tradesmen and local women fosters trust, as a form of cementing trade relationships with blood ties.
Cultural intermingling led to spread of Islam and growth of Swahili states in East Africa.
Emergence of Swahili language. This further enabled trade through a common language.

Islamic scholars in Baghdad's House of Wisdom translated Greek and Roman classics into Arabic.
They also made commentaries and advancements in philosophy and medicine.
These works were later transferred to Europe and formed the basis for the Renaissance.
Transfer of scientific and technological innovations was significant.

Transfer of crops and diseases.
Champa rice introduced to China via the Champa Kingdom as part of the tribute system.
China harnessed Champa rice to increase food production for its growing population.
Spread of diseases like the Bubonic Plague via trade routes.

The Silk Roads flourished most when large empires controlled them, providing safety and continuity.
The Mongol Empire facilitated trade by ensuring safety along the Silk Roads.
The Mongols paid high prices for goods, encouraging trade, and secured trade routes.
Mongols facilitated increased communication and cooperation across their empire.
Persian and Chinese courts exchanged medical knowledge(Greek and Islamic) which had impact on Western Europe.
Mongols adopted the Uighur script, which became the language of policy, diplomacy, and exchange within their empire.

A Moroccan Islamic scholar.
Traveled extensively across the Islamic world during the 14th century.
Documented his travels, providing a firsthand account of life across Dar Es Salaam.