Chapter 8Chapter 8

Review and DiscussionReview and Discussion

The Silk RoadThe Silk Road

Connected China to the Mediterranean andConnected China to the Mediterranean anddrew together the different regions of drew together the different regions of EurasiaEurasia

Route of the Overland Silk RoadRoute of the Overland Silk Road

Linked China and the Holy Roman EmpireLinked China and the Holy Roman Empire The two extreme ends of EurasiaThe two extreme ends of Eurasia

Started in the Han capital of Chang’an and went west to the Started in the Han capital of Chang’an and went west to the Taklamakan DesertTaklamakan Desert There the road split into two main branches that skirted the desert There the road split into two main branches that skirted the desert

to the north and southto the north and south

Taklamakan Desert:Taklamakan Desert: “The Desert of Death”“The Desert of Death”

The Silk Roads avoided the Taklamakan Desert and passed through the oasis towns on its outskirts

Organization of Long-distance Organization of Long-distance TradeTrade

Individual merchants usually did not travel Individual merchants usually did not travel from one end of Eurasia to the otherfrom one end of Eurasia to the other

Instead they handled long-distance trade Instead they handled long-distance trade in stagesin stagesChinese, Parthians, Persians, Indians, Chinese, Parthians, Persians, Indians,

Romans, and others would dominate the Romans, and others would dominate the caravan or maritime trade routes within their caravan or maritime trade routes within their empire or territory of influenceempire or territory of influence

Silk Road Trade to the WestSilk Road Trade to the West Silk and spices traveled west Silk and spices traveled west

from southeast Asia, China, from southeast Asia, China, and Indiaand India China was the only country China was the only country

in classical times where in classical times where cultivators and weavers had cultivators and weavers had developed techniques for developed techniques for producing high-quality silk producing high-quality silk fabricsfabrics

Spices served not just to Spices served not just to season food but also as season food but also as drugs, anesthetics, drugs, anesthetics, aphrodisiacs, perfumes, aphrodisiacs, perfumes, aromatics, and magical aromatics, and magical potionspotions Chinese silk making

Silk Road Trade to the EastSilk Road Trade to the East Central Asia produced large, strong horses and Central Asia produced large, strong horses and

jade that was highly prized by Chinese stone jade that was highly prized by Chinese stone carverscarvers

The Roman empire traded glassware, jewelry, The Roman empire traded glassware, jewelry, works of art, decorative items, perfumes, bronze works of art, decorative items, perfumes, bronze goods, wool and linen textiles, pottery, iron tools, goods, wool and linen textiles, pottery, iron tools, olive oil, wine, and gold and silver bullionolive oil, wine, and gold and silver bullion Mediterranean merchants and manufacturers often Mediterranean merchants and manufacturers often

imported raw materials such as uncut gemstones imported raw materials such as uncut gemstones which they exported as finished products in the form which they exported as finished products in the form of expensive jewelry and decorative itemsof expensive jewelry and decorative items

Hybrid Camel and Stirrup Hybrid Camel and Stirrup

What were some of the technological advances What were some of the technological advances that the Silk Road was responsible for?that the Silk Road was responsible for?

AgricultureAgricultureExchange of agricultural products led to Exchange of agricultural products led to

diversifying people’s dietdiversifying people’s dietAdvancement in Camel and horse breedingAdvancement in Camel and horse breedingHybrid camels (designed to overcome Hybrid camels (designed to overcome

limitations of the road’s climate and lengthlimitations of the road’s climate and lengthWarfareWarfareStirrup (gave mounted troops enormous Stirrup (gave mounted troops enormous

advantages over their opponents) advantages over their opponents)

Why can the Silk Road be described as a social Why can the Silk Road be described as a social system rather than simply as a transportation system rather than simply as a transportation

route?route? Exchange of ideas and culturesExchange of ideas and cultures Evident in religion (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Evident in religion (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity,

Zoroastrianism) Zoroastrianism) affected both the peoples along the road and those affected both the peoples along the road and those

far beyond.far beyond. Was the silk road dominated by any state or culture?Was the silk road dominated by any state or culture? Because of its size and isolated nature, it was not Because of its size and isolated nature, it was not

dominated by any one culture or state. dominated by any one culture or state. What impact did it have on the movement of people?What impact did it have on the movement of people? trend toward moving from the countryside to the trend toward moving from the countryside to the

cities and trading centerscities and trading centers thus fundamentally altering people’s lives. thus fundamentally altering people’s lives.

Spread of DiseaseSpread of Disease The Antonine Plague (165-180 A. D.) was a The Antonine Plague (165-180 A. D.) was a

plague of either smallpox or measles brought plague of either smallpox or measles brought back to the Roman Empire by troops returning back to the Roman Empire by troops returning from campaigns in the Near Eastfrom campaigns in the Near EastRoman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

was among the victimswas among the victims The disease broke out again nine years later The disease broke out again nine years later

and the Roman historian Dio Cassius reported it and the Roman historian Dio Cassius reported it caused up to 2,000 deaths a day at Romecaused up to 2,000 deaths a day at Rome

Total deaths have been estimated at five millionTotal deaths have been estimated at five million

Indian Ocean TradeIndian Ocean Trade

Indian Ocean TradeIndian Ocean Trade Indian Ocean has larger waves and the boats Indian Ocean has larger waves and the boats

were more resilient than the ones used in the were more resilient than the ones used in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea.

The traders learned how to understand the The traders learned how to understand the monsoon seasons and the direction of winds, monsoon seasons and the direction of winds, and scheduled their voyages accordingly. and scheduled their voyages accordingly.

Sailors often married women at the ends of Sailors often married women at the ends of their trade routes, cultures started to intermix their trade routes, cultures started to intermix rapidly. rapidly.

Many sailors took foreign wives home and Many sailors took foreign wives home and created bilingual and bicultural families.created bilingual and bicultural families.

MediterraneanMediterraneanTradeTrade

incapacitated sailors used square sails and long incapacitated sailors used square sails and long banks of oars to sail to the many islands and into banks of oars to sail to the many islands and into small harbors. small harbors.

sailors were rarely out of sight of landsailors were rarely out of sight of land traders also often established colonies to galvanize traders also often established colonies to galvanize

trade contactstrade contacts Mediterranean basin was also smaller and more Mediterranean basin was also smaller and more

competitive because of a smaller number of goods—competitive because of a smaller number of goods—copper, tin, wine, olive oil, and potterycopper, tin, wine, olive oil, and pottery

The competition sparked recurrent warfare and rivalry The competition sparked recurrent warfare and rivalry in the Mediterraneanin the Mediterranean

Compare the Indian Ocean trade with the Mediterranean Compare the Indian Ocean trade with the Mediterranean Sea trade. Are they different worlds?Sea trade. Are they different worlds?

Indian Ocean Indian Ocean vessels used lateen (triangular) sails and rode the vessels used lateen (triangular) sails and rode the

winds rather than using oarsmen.winds rather than using oarsmen. sailors sailed long distances entirely at sea.sailors sailed long distances entirely at sea. contacts were less frequent and therefore seldom contacts were less frequent and therefore seldom

resulted in political ties.resulted in political ties. Indian Ocean world was primarily concerned with Indian Ocean world was primarily concerned with

population movements and the exchange of goods population movements and the exchange of goods and ideas. and ideas.

the volume of goods in the Indian Ocean was lower the volume of goods in the Indian Ocean was lower than in the Mediterranean Sea, the trade in the Indian than in the Mediterranean Sea, the trade in the Indian Ocean included a large variety of highly valued goods.Ocean included a large variety of highly valued goods.

Geography & Climate of AfricaGeography & Climate of AfricaVaried climate Varied climate

zones and zones and landforms have landforms have encouraged the encouraged the development of a development of a wide variety of wide variety of cultures cultures

Explain sub-Saharan cultural diversity between Explain sub-Saharan cultural diversity between 300 B.C.E.. and 1100 C.E.300 B.C.E.. and 1100 C.E.

Cultural DiversityCultural Diversity the vastness of the African continent and its many the vastness of the African continent and its many

distinct environmental regions. distinct environmental regions. natural barriers natural barriers contributed to cultural diversity by helping form contributed to cultural diversity by helping form

distinctive regional economies and modes of distinctive regional economies and modes of subsistencesubsistence

they also prevented large-scale military conquest. they also prevented large-scale military conquest. Africa’s great size and low population density reduced, Africa’s great size and low population density reduced,

but did not eliminate, contact and exchange between but did not eliminate, contact and exchange between African peoples. African peoples.

Sub-Saharan Africans did not share a common Sub-Saharan Africans did not share a common language or legal, social, or economic systems. language or legal, social, or economic systems.

Waves of MigrationWaves of Migration One wave moved through east AfricaOne wave moved through east Africa One wave moved through the center of the One wave moved through the center of the

continentcontinent Possible 3Possible 3rdrd wave- Bantu ancestors of the wave- Bantu ancestors of the

modern Swahili mastered sailing technology modern Swahili mastered sailing technology and made canoes and boats that travel the and made canoes and boats that travel the Zambezi riverZambezi river

Slow but steady- people are not speeding Slow but steady- people are not speeding across the landscape, they are moving across the landscape, they are moving slowly, gradually inhabiting areas that were slowly, gradually inhabiting areas that were good for farming and raising livestock good for farming and raising livestock

Bantu MigrationsBantu MigrationsSahara used to be so Sahara used to be so well watered its well watered its wildlife includedwildlife included elephants, giraffes, elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros and rhinoceros and crocodilescrocodiles

Bantu MigrationBantu Migration Rather than arriving all at once like conquerors, the Rather than arriving all at once like conquerors, the

migrations were sporadic with small groups of people migrations were sporadic with small groups of people moving from one point to anothermoving from one point to another..

It is not clear how the Bantu reacted when they came It is not clear how the Bantu reacted when they came upon existing communities but it is likely that new upon existing communities but it is likely that new groups merged with existing groups. Both groups took groups merged with existing groups. Both groups took on parts of each other’s cultures and practices. on parts of each other’s cultures and practices.

The Bantu were armed with superior weapons and The Bantu were armed with superior weapons and their iron tools allowed them to plant crops and clear their iron tools allowed them to plant crops and clear forests efficiently. forests efficiently.

Historians believe there was social interaction, Historians believe there was social interaction, intermarrying and trade between Bantu communities.intermarrying and trade between Bantu communities.

Trading Gold and SaltTrading Gold and Salt

Two products, gold and salt, Two products, gold and salt, dominated the Sahara trade dominated the Sahara trade

routeroute Gold was plentiful in the West African Gold was plentiful in the West African

savanna.savanna. Salt, which people need in their diet, Salt, which people need in their diet,

was scarce in the savanna but was scarce in the savanna but abundant in the Sahara.abundant in the Sahara.

West Africans sent gold across the West Africans sent gold across the Sahara to markets in North Africa and Sahara to markets in North Africa and Europe. In return for gold, they received Europe. In return for gold, they received salt. salt.

North AfricaNorth Africa Through warfare and trade, many Through warfare and trade, many

outside influences helped to shape outside influences helped to shape North AfricaNorth Africa

Under Roman rule, Christianity Under Roman rule, Christianity spread to the cities of North Africa. spread to the cities of North Africa. The Romans also built roads, dams, The Romans also built roads, dams, aqueducts, and cities across the aqueducts, and cities across the region.region.

Camels brought from Asia Camels brought from Asia revolutionized trade across the revolutionized trade across the Sahara.Sahara.

In the 600s, Arab armies carried In the 600s, Arab armies carried Islam to North Africa. Islam replaced Islam to North Africa. Islam replaced Christianity as the dominant religion Christianity as the dominant religion of the region, and Arabic became the of the region, and Arabic became the primary language. primary language.

“Ships of the Desert”

Kingdom of GhanaKingdom of Ghana Located in Western Africa between Located in Western Africa between

Saharan salt mines and tropical Saharan salt mines and tropical gold mines.gold mines.

Two-way traffic by caravan Two-way traffic by caravan between cities in North Africa and between cities in North Africa and Ghana (camels became very Ghana (camels became very important)important)

The salt and gold trade through The salt and gold trade through Ghana brought Islamic ideas and Ghana brought Islamic ideas and customs to the kingdomcustoms to the kingdom

Muslim group from North Africa Muslim group from North Africa attacked Ghana trade centers that attacked Ghana trade centers that led to decline of the kingdom. led to decline of the kingdom.

Easy African City-StatesEasy African City-States When Axum declined, a string of When Axum declined, a string of

commercial cities gradually rose commercial cities gradually rose along the Easy African coastalong the Easy African coast

Trade helped local rulers build Trade helped local rulers build strong states.strong states.

Under the protection of local rulers, Under the protection of local rulers, Arab and Persian merchants set up Arab and Persian merchants set up Muslim communities in east Africa.Muslim communities in east Africa.

International trade created a rich International trade created a rich and varied mix of cultures. and varied mix of cultures.

East African Kingdoms & East African Kingdoms & Trading statesTrading states

Religion played an important role in the development of Religion played an important role in the development of Axum and Ethiopia.Axum and Ethiopia.

Ethiopians were descendents of the Axumites.Ethiopians were descendents of the Axumites.

Despite their isolation, Ethiopian Christians kept ties Despite their isolation, Ethiopian Christians kept ties with the Holy Land. with the Holy Land.

The kings of Ethiopia claimed to be descendents of The kings of Ethiopia claimed to be descendents of Israelites. One group of Ethiopians, known as Falasha, Israelites. One group of Ethiopians, known as Falasha, practiced Judaism. practiced Judaism.