Transcript Trade Routes

Trade Routes
Foundations – 600 CE
Silk Road
• Originally as interregional trade, trade route
grew during Han dynasty: 1st-2nd Century CE to
forge alliances with non-Chinese nomads.
Silk Road
• Trade with China, Roman Empire, India, Middle
East, Egypt
• Increased spread of Buddhism, visitors to other
regions
Silk Road As Trade Route
Case Study
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Trade routes
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Overland trade routes linked China to Roman empire
Sea lanes joined Asia, Africa, and Mediterranean basin
into one network
Trade goods
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Silk and spices traveled west
Central Asia produced large horses and jade, sold in
China
Roman empire provided glassware, jewelry, artworks,
perfumes, textiles
Silk Road As Trade Route
Case Study
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Cultural Exchanges Along Silk Road
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The spread of Buddhism and Hinduism
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Buddhism in central Asia and China
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First present in oasis towns of central Asia along silk
roads
Further spread to steppe lands
Foreign merchants as Buddhists in China, first century
B.C.E.
Popularity of monasteries and missionaries, fifth century
C.E.
Buddhism and Hinduism in Southeast Asia
Silk Road As Trade Route
Case Study
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Cultural Exchanges Along Silk Road
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The spread of Christianity
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Christianity in the Mediterranean basin
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Missionaries attracted converts
Christian communities flourished in Mediterranean basin by late
third century C.E.
Christianity in Southwest Asia follows the trade routes
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Sizable communities in Mesopotamia and Iran, 2nd century C.E.
Sizable number of converts in southwest Asia until the 7th century
C.E.
Nestorians emphasized human nature of Jesus, 5th C.E.
Nestorian communities in central Asia, India, and China by 7th
century C.E.
Silk Road As Trade Route
Case Study
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Cultural Exchanges Along the Silk Roads
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The spread of Manichaeism;
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Mani and Manichaeism
– Prophet Mani, a Zoroastrian: from Christianity and Buddhism
– Dualism: perceived a cosmic struggle between light and
darkness, good and evil
– Offered means to achieve personal salvation
– Ascetic lifestyle and high ethical standards
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Spread of Manichaeism; appealed to merchants
– Attracted converts first in Mesopotamia and east
Mediterranean region
– Appeared in all large cities of Roman empire, third century
C.E.
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Persecuted by Sasanids and Romans but survived in central Asia
Silk Road As Trade Route
Case Study
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The spread of epidemic disease
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Epidemic diseases
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Common epidemics in Rome and China:
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smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Roman empire: population dropped by a quarter from the first to
tenth century C.E.
China: population dropped by a quarter from the first to seventh
century C.E.
Effects of epidemic diseases
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Both Chinese and Roman economies contracted
Small regional economies emerged
Epidemics weakened Han and Roman empires
Mediterranean Trade
Routes
• Spanned the
Mediterranean: Persia,
Egypt, Rome, India
• On land AND sea
• Ideas and goods
spread: Hellenism,
numbers, writing
systems,
etc.explosion of
intellectual activity
• Idea of Monotheism
Mediterranean Trade
Routes
• Traded:
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Slaves
Amber
Iron
Animals/agricultural
products
– Wine
– Gemstones
– pottery
Indian Ocean Trade
• The route of the
spice trade (origins:
Spice Islands:
cloves and
cinnamon)
• “He who controls the
Spice controls the
empire,” (Frank
Herbert, Dune).
Indian Ocean Trade
• Improved nautical
knowledge: compass,
rudder, etc.
• Used monsoons to sail
• Arab (Islam)
settlements in Africa
• No single dominating
power
• About 500-1000CE
MesoAmerican Trade
• Allowed Mayan
communities to acquire
goods otherwise
unavailable (such as
turquoise)
• Primarily through the
Yucatan Peninsula
• Caused widespread
hegemony