Chapters 2,3,4,&5

Economic

You need to consider the following•Economics will not play as large a role in

Classical Civilization as in others. Why?•Do you think economics is going to look

very different in the three different civilizations?

•What do you think economics means during this era?

China

•Agricultural Society▫Major gaps between upper-class and the

masses Land holding gentry 2% and peasants Slavery is not part of their economic systems

▫North wheat growing▫South rice growing▫Mean people below peasants

Unskilled jobs

•Government played an active role in the economy▫Standardized currency▫Maintained a surplus in order to control

prices•Trade was focused on luxury items

▫India▫Silks, jewelry, leather, furniture

•High tax•Merchants are not looked upon favorably

▫Confucius: Learning over money making

India

•Agricultural based society Grew Rice, Pepper, Wheat, Barley, Mustard, Sugar

Cane, Medicinal Roots

• Increased trade by uniting India• India traded silk, cotton, and spices to

Mesopotamia, China, Egypt and Rome

•Economy was good in Classical India•Most of the manufacturing was done by

artist guilds▫Sold the goods from their shops

•Caste system assigned your occupation▫Assigned your occupation ▫Merchants were high up

Greece & Rome

• Agricultural• Most people were farmers• Commercial farming develops• In order to get the crops they needed• Grain trade

• Estate Agriculture • Slavery was needed• Usually made up of conquered people

• Merchants and trading were considered to be important• Better than China BUT not as good as India

• Large artisan population• Made luxury goods

Trade Routes

Trade

•Trade routes have been developing throughout the Classical Era:▫Silk Road▫Indian Ocean trade▫Saharan Trade▫Sub-Saharan Trade

Silk Road •Eurasia•Overland from China to the

Mediterranean▫Possible because of Camels▫Not just one line of trade

•Who: Central Asian Nomads most importantTrade West to East: Horses, Alfalfa, grapes, melons,

walnuts

East to West: Silk, Peaches, Apricots, Spices, Pottery, Paper

Cultural Diffusio

n

Chariots, Horse stirrups, Buddhism, Christianity

Indian Ocean Trade

•Ocean Trade: Canton, SE Asia, India Africa and Middle East

•Arabs very important

Trade Pigments, pearls, spices, tropical fruits

Cultural Diffusio

n

Lateen Sail

Saharan Trade

•Overland from the West Africa to Mediterranean ▫Cairo very important

•Berbers very important

Trade Salt from South and West SaharaGold from West AfricaWheat and Olives from Italy

Cultural Diffusion

Camel Saddle

Sub-Saharan Trade•Connected Africa South and East of the

Sahara to other states•Bantu people very important

Trade Agricultural products, Iron weapons and later religion

Cultural Diffusion

Bantu Language

What is Sub-Saharan Africa

•Such as:▫Kush: took over Egypt for awhile▫Axum: Contact with Eastern Mediterranean▫Ethiopia: Will become a Christian

Civilization

Herding People

•As you can see herding people in Central Asia, Middle East and Africa are very important to the trading of stuff.▫Technology, ideas, cultural diffusion

•This will continue to grow in importance as the eras change

New Technology

Chinese advances

•China was the tops▫Helped to improve agricultural output

Plow, collar, iron tools, water powered mill▫Did not turn China away from agriculture

Most was done to make output better

Indian advances• On par with China• New canals and irrigation• renovated major roads• built towns for spinning & weaving• uniform system of currency• weights and measures

Greek and Roman Advances

•Farming•Shipbuilding•Navigation•Roads