the silk road - what is it? why is it important?
TRANSCRIPT
The Silk Road- What is it? Why is it important?
The Silk Road
The Silk Road lasted for 1200 years. From the Roman Empire until Medieval
Europe.There were three phases where it was
traveled more than other times.Han Dynasty (2nd Century B.C.E. – 2nd
Century C.E.)Tang Dynasty (7th – 10th Century C.E.)Yuan Dynasty (12th – 14th Century C.E.)
Marco Polo visits China
The Silk RoadThe Silk Road was not actually a road. It was
not paved. It was not even a single route. The Silk Road was a name given to a series of
interconnected trade routes that led across China to Rome. It was a 4000-mile trip. At one end was China. At the other end was Rome.
After the Silk Road the “East” and “West” become Interdependent
Each had something the other wanted.
Rome had gold and silver and precious gems.
China had silk and spices and ivory. Ideas also traveled along the Silk
Road, ideas that affected everyone. The spreading of goods and ideas
between cultures is known as
cultural diffusion.
Exchange of Goods
ITEMS TRADED ALONG THE SILK ROAD
OUD
BACTRIAN CAMELS
GLASS
CARPETS
METAL WORK
PORCELAIN
JADE
SPICES
SILK
1. What do you see?
2. How can we compare this to the trade of today?
3. Why was this important to global history?
WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE TRAVELING ON THE SILK ROAD?
What do you see?
What is this?
The Silk RoadOver the centuries, the Silk Road developed a
civilization of its own. Where possible, the Silk Road became lined
with huge Buddhist temples, Islamic mosques and booming cities where much cultural diffusion.
It became far easier to travel the road. The journey became safer during the high trade eras.
But it was never easy. There were still vast stretches of deserts and mountains to cross, with no city or water in sight.
Turn, talk, and answer:
0 Do you think that cultural diffusion benefits civilizations? Why or why not?
ByzantineEmpire
Mongol Empire
ChinaEmpire
OttomanEmpire
MughalEmpire
The Asian Empires we will study next.
Dangers of the Silk RoadIt was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road.
You faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, and poisonous snakes.
There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor, a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of one of the mountains.
To reach this strip, you had to cross the desert or the mountains. And of course, there were always bandits and pirates.
Even the traders did not make the whole trip. They worked in relays. Each trader would go a certain distance, exchange
their goods for other goods, and hopefully return. The next would move along the road, trade, and hopefully return.
There were three main routes, and all were dangerous.Northern Route – Westward to Black SeaCentral Route – Westward to Persia, Mediterranean Sea, RomeSouthern Route – Westward to Iran, India
Geography of the Silk Road: Even though there were many physical obstacles, trade continued.
Himalayan Mountains
Pamir Mountains
Taklimakan Desert
Kunlun Mountain Painting
Taklamakan Desert:Western China “The Desert of Death”
The Silk Roads avoided the Taklamakan Desert and passed through the oasis towns on its outskirts
Making Silk
0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1RTqAWKenM&safe=active
Hear the story of a Silk Road Merchant
MERCHANT - a person whose job is to buy, sell & trade goods. (salesman or businessman)
Prepare to be a Silk Road Trader
Glassware
Carpet
Spices
Gold
Silk
Debriefing
What aspects of the activity were the most challenging? Why?
Would you have wanted to be a trader along the Silk Road? Why or why not?
Make a connection from the class to the history… fill in the T-chart in your packet
with your seatmates.1. Center table (Kashgar) was
most crowded2. Piece of paper with drawing on
it3. Farthest east room was
Duoyang4. Couldn’t walk further west than
Antioch5. Crawling on floor6. Climbing over desks7. Closing eyes8. One of the trade goods you got9. Most people didn’t make it to
all five trading spots
Now let’s discuss as a class1. Center table (Kashgar) was
most crowded2. Pictures on the papers3. Farthest east room was
Duhyuang4. Couldn’t walk further west than
Antioch5. Crawling on floor6. Climbing over desks7. Closing eyes8. One of the trade goods you
got9. Most people didn’t make it
to all five trading spots
What did you learn so far about the Silk Road
On the Post It:1. Grade yourself on your listening in class.2. Did you finish all homework. Yes or No.3. Evaluate yourself on your understanding of the
homwork.4. Define Silk Road including where it started and
ended.5. What are four goods traded?6. What other than goods were spread and what is that
called?
Cultural Exchange and Silk Road
0Silk Road created cultural diffusion in which goods, ideas, technology and knowledge spread between cultures
0China and Rome not only received new products but learned how to make them for themselves
0By 500 CE the Chinese understood the technology Roman glassmaking.
0Around the same time, Rome learned how to produce silk
Changes to China
1. In addition to learning to make glassware, gardening and agriculture changed.
2. China imported many new foods such as grapes, cucumbers, figs, pomegranates, walnuts, chives, sesame
3. Near China, draw and label two symbols for two foods or products that China learned about as a result of trade on Silk Road.
Changes to the West (especially
Rome)1. In addition to learning to make silk, there were
diet, gardening and agricultural changes.2. Rome and western people imported oranges,
peaches, pears and flowers like roses, mums, peonies and more
3. Near Rome, draw and label two symbols for two foods or products that Rome learned about as a result of trade on Silk Road.
Buddhism spreads from India along Silk Road
Buddhism had its beginnings in India.Because the Silk Road passed through India, and
India was in the middle, many people learned of Buddhism
Buddhism was introduced in China in 1st centurySome Chinese Buddhists would travel the Silk Road
just to get to India to get sacred texts on the religion.
Buddhism is now a world religion
0Near India, draw and label a symbol for Buddhism. Then draw and arrow that shows how Buddhism spread from India to China.
0Then answer the two thought questions below the map.
Effects of Trade
What other effects might there be to trade other than just the exchange of goods and the
chance to get rich?
Silk Road Today – 2009 Visit
0 http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5647644n
Now, how would you do on a practice quiz over the Silk
Road?
Look at the target questions on the Unit Target Guide I’m about to give you.
Answer the Silk Road target questions with your Asian Empires partner.