Name: __________________________World History Mid-Term Final – Causation and Comparison

Major Trade Routes of the Classical and Post-Classical EraStandards 4.0 3.5 3.0 Not a 3.0 yetAnalyze cause and effect relationships in a historical context

Compare multiple historical developments across time, geography, society, and/or culture

61– 55 points

54.5- 50 points

49.5- 40 points 39.5 or less points

Take complete notes of the packet _______/10 pointsWriting Assessment Part I- Causation Essay- Silk Road ______/16 points Writing Assessment Part II- Comparison of Indian Ocean and Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Paragraph #1 – Similarity ______/16 pointsParagraph #2- Difference ______/16 points

Prewrite your paragraphs 1 points for each paragraph _____/3 points

Part I- Causation - The Rise of the Silk Road Unit Objective :

Assessment:

Watch and take notes on the following video from Mr. Wood’s Website: The Silk Road: Connecting the ancient world through trade - Shannon Harris Castelo- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn3e37VWc0k

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Overview Look at the entire visual image- write 1-2 details that explains what is in this image. This is “big picture,” and not a small detail in part of the image.

Parts Name 2-3 Details that you can see in this image

SILK ROAD- TAKEN FROM THE HISTORY CHANNEL- HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.COM/TOPICS/SILK-ROAD/PRINT

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting China and the Far East with the Middle East and Europe. Established when the Han Dynasty in China officially opened trade with the West in 130 B.C., the Silk Road routes remained in use until 1453 A.D., when the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China and closed them. Although it’s been nearly 600 years since the Silk Road has been used for international trade, the routes had a lasting impact on commerce, culture and history that resonates even today.

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SILK ROAD TO CHINAThe Silk Road routes included a large network of strategically located trading posts, markets and thoroughfares designed to streamline the transport, exchange, distribution and storage of goods.

Routes extended from the Greco-Roman metropolis of Antioch across the Syrian Desert via Palmyra to Ctesiphon (the Parthian capital) and Seleucia on the Tigris River, a Mesopotamian city in modern-day Iraq.

From Seleucia, routes passed eastward over the Zagros Mountains to the cities of Ecbatana (Iran) and Merv (Turkmenistan), from which additional routes traversed to modern-day Afghanistan and eastward into Mongolia and China.

Silk Road routes also led to ports on the Persian Gulf, where goods were then transported up the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

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Routes from these cities also connected to ports along the Mediterranean Sea, from which goods were shipped to cities throughout the Roman Empire and into Europe.

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SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELTEven though the name “Silk Road” derives from the popularity of Chinese silk among tradesmen in the Roman Empire and elsewhere in Europe, the material was not the only important export from the East to the West.

Trade along the so-called Silk Road economic belt included fruits and vegetables, livestock, grain, leather and hides, tools, religious objects, artwork, precious stones and metals and—perhaps more importantly—language, culture, religious beliefs, philosophy and science.

Commodities such as paper and gunpowder, both invented by the Chinese during the Han Dynasty, had obvious and lasting impacts on culture and history in the West. They were also among the most-traded items between the East and West.Paper was invented in China during the 3rd century B.C., and its use spread via the Silk Road, arriving first in Samarkand in around 700 A.D., before moving to Europe through the then-Islamic ports of Sicily and Spain.Of course, paper’s arrival in Europe fostered significant industrial change, with the written word becoming a key form of mass communication for the first time. The eventual development of the Gutenberg press allowed for the mass production of books and, later, newspaper, which enabled a wider exchange of news and information.

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SILK ROAD SPICESIn addition, the rich spices of the East quickly became popular in the West, and changed cuisine across much of Europe.

Similarly, techniques for making glass migrated eastward to China from the Islamic world.The origins of gunpowder are less well known, although there are references to fireworks and firearms in China as early as the 600s. Historians believe that gunpowder was indeed exported along the Silk Road routes to Europe, where it was further refined for use in cannons in England, France and elsewhere in the 1300s.

The nation-states with access to it had obvious advantages in war, and thus the export of gunpowder had an enormous impact on the political history of Europe.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

LEGACY OF THE SILK ROAD- Taken from Ancient History Encyclopedia HTTPS://WWW.ANCIENT.EU/SILK_ROAD/

The greatest value of the Silk Road was the exchange of culture. Art, religion, philosophy, technology, language, science, architecture, and every other element of civilization was exchanged through the Silk Road along with the commercial goods the merchants carried from country to country. Along the network of routes disease traveled also, as evidenced in the spread of the bubonic plague of 542 CE which is

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thought to have arrived in Constantinople by way of the Silk Road and which decimated the Byzantine Empire. The closing of the Silk Road forced merchants to take to the sea to ply their trade, thus initiating the Age of Discovery (1453-1660 CE) which led to world-wide interaction and the beginnings of a global community.

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Silk Road in the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) - https://www.travelchinaguide.com/silk-road/history/Along with the growth of the Mongolian Empire and the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, the route regained its vigor and became prosperous once again. It enjoyed the last glorious era during this period.

In 1271, the great Mongolian ruler Kublai Khan established a powerful Mongol Empire – Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) at Dadu (the present Beijing). The territory of the giant empire was the largest one in Chinese history, which stretched as far as Mongolia and Siberia in the north, South China Sea in the south, Tibet and Yunnan in the Southwest, Stanovoi Range (Outer Khingan) and Okhotsk in northeast, Xinjiang and Central Asia in the northwest. Even West Asia and Russia were under the control of this empire.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

The Mongol Empire destroyed a great number of toll-gates and corruption of the Silk Road; therefore passing through the historic trade route became more convenient, easier and safer than ever before. The Mongolian emperors welcomed the travelers of the West with open arms, and appointed some foreigners high positions, for example, Kublai Khan gave Marco Polo a hospitable welcome and appointed him a high post in his court. At that time, the Mongolian emperor issued a special VIP passport known as "Golden Tablet” which entitled holders to receive food, horses and guides throughout the Khan’s dominion. The holders were able to travel freely and carried out trade between East and the West directly in the realm of the Mongol Empire.

Although maritime transport had an influence on the route, many westerners, Chinese envoys and caravans traveled along this ancient trade route. However, the historically important route could not contend with expansion in the field of navigation which assisted its demise.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

Part II- Comparing the Indian Ocean Trade Route and The Trans Saharan Trade Route

Unit Objective :

Assessment:

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Comparison Essay- Trade route #1- The Indian Ocean Trade Route

Overview Look at the entire visual image- write 1-2 details that explains what is in this image. This is “big picture,” and not a small detail in part of the image.

Parts Name 2-3 Details that you can see in this image

Background Information on the Indian Ocean Trade- http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/indian/

The Indian Ocean Trade began with small trading settlements around 800 A.D., and declined in the 1500’s when Portugal invaded and tried to run the trade for its own profit.As trade intensified between Africa and Asia, prosperous city-states flourished along the eastern coast of Africa. These included Kilwa, Sofala, Mombasa, Malindi, and others. The city-states traded with inland kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe to obtain gold, ivory, and iron. These materials were then sold to places like India, Southeast Asia, and China. These were Africa’s exports in the Indian Ocean Trade. These items could be sold at a profit because they were scarce in Asian countries.At the same time, the East African city-states were buying items from Asia. Many residents of the city-states were willing to pay high prices for cotton, silk, and porcelain objects. These items were expensive because they were not available in Africa at the time. These were Africa’s imports in the Indian Ocean Trade.

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The city-states along the eastern coast of Africa made ideal centers of trade. An important attraction was the gold obtained from inland kingdoms. The gold was needed mainly for coins, although it was also used for works of art, ornamentation on buildings, and jewelry. Also, the city-states were easy to reach from Asia by ship because of the favorable wind and ocean currents. Ships had no trouble docking at the excellent ports and harbors located on the coasts of the city-states, making it easy to unload and load cargo. Merchants, tired after their long overseas journey, enjoyed the lodging and entertainment offered by the port cities. Finally, East Africa was a fairly peaceful region, and the few conflicts that did occur were small and brief. All of these factors created an ideal setting for import-export companies to conduct business.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

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Many of the merchants from the Arabian peninsula, India, and Southeast Asia stayed in the city-states of East Africa. Interracial marriages were not uncommon, and gradually over the centuries, a new and distinct ethnic group developed, known as the Swahili. Today millions of Swahili people live in the nations of East Africa, where the Swahili language is widely spoken. Although Swahili is an African (or more precisely, Bantu) language, many words in Swahili can still can be traced back to Arabic and Hindi origins. The Swahili city-states steadily grew and prospered, and were a major world economic power by the 1400’s. Although the city-states were famous throughout Africa and Asia, no European countries knew of them. .NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

INDIAN OCEAN NETWORK)- Taken from APWorldipedia (used with permission) Despite the growth of these important trade routes, Indian Ocean trade was the dominate network of trade in the post-classical period. In terms of the volume of trade, the number of people involved, and the interaction of various cultures, the Indian Ocean network was unrivaled in this period…. Because this is a maritime network, Indian Ocean trade continued to be the ideal network for exchanging bulk items, such as timber, ivory, spices, cotton textiles, and other things that would be difficult to move on land routes. Finally, Indian Ocean trade continued to be free from the domination of any state or empire. The seas were open to all merchants and not until the arrival of the Europeans would any single power attempt hegemony. NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

Indian Ocean trade also experienced major changes during the post-classical age. The volume of exchange increased dramatically and the number of civilizations participating increased. The coming of Islam played a significant role in the increase of trade in the Indian Ocean. We have seen already how the civilization of Islam encourages trade, and the Muslim city-states along the Swahili coast of east Africa contributed enormously to maritime trade. Gold, ivory, and exotic animals made their way from sub-Saharan and southern Africa to these cities, through which they entered the busy sea routes of the Indian Ocean. Islam followed the path of goods, making converts across the network, particularly southeast Asia. On the Malay peninsula in southeast Asia, the Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya thrived on the lucrative spice trade that flowed through the straits of Malacca. Srivijaya became an important kingdom for the diffusion of Buddhism across the region. Another political development that increased Indian Ocean trade was the recovery and economic flourishing of China. During the Song Dynasty, Chinese maritime trade exceeded Silk Road trade, and Chinese porcelain has been found as far away as the Swahili coast of Africa.[6] The efficiency and volume of trade in the Indian Ocean was also facilitated by the introduction of new maritime technologies. The Chinese introduced the compass and massive trading ships called Junks which were able to carry larger cargoes. The Arabs popularized the Dhow ship which was able to tack against the wind because of its advanced lateen sail. Finally, an instrument called the astrolabe allowed skilled sailors to determine their latitude at sea. All of these advancements increased participation, facilitated navigation, and removed some of the risks of maritime trade. NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

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On the Indian Ocean merchants were recognizing the seasonal patterns of monsoon winds and they began adapting their voyages to harness these winds. New technologies helped them adapt more efficiently to the dynamics of this trade route. The Dhow, a long slender boat with a lateen sail, became a common vessel for Indian Ocean trade. Although its origins are not completely clear, the Chinese, Arabs, and Indians were certainly involved in its creation and/or modification. The dhow was used for heavy items that were not as fit for land-based trade. One of its primary characteristics was the lateen sail which allowed sailors to tack against the wind. The dhow and lateen sail did for maritime trade what the saddle and stirrup did for land trade: they helped people widen networks of trade and communication thus accelerating the diffusion of goods, ideas, and culture.

The lateen sail.

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Indian Ocean Trade Routes by Kallie SzczepanskiUpdated October 17, 2017 https://www.thoughtco.com/indian-ocean-trade-routes-195514

In the classical era, major empires involved in the Indian Ocean trade included the Mauryan Empire in India, the Han Dynasty in China, the Achaemenid Empire in Persia, and the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean.  Silk from China graced Roman aristocrats, Roman coins mingled in Indian treasuries, and Persian jewels show up in Mauryan settings.

Another major export item along the classical Indian Ocean trade routes was religious thought. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism spread from India to Southeast Asia, brought by merchants rather than by missionaries.  Islam would later spread the same way from the 700s CE on.

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Comparison Essay- Trade Route #2- Trans-Saharan Trade Route

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Overview Look at the entire visual image- write 1-2 details that explains what is in this image. This is “big picture,” and not a small detail in part of the image.

Parts Name 2-3 Details that you can see in this image

Trade in Ancient West Africa- http://www.mrdowling.com/609-trade.html

The civilizations that flourished in ancient West Africa were all based on trade, so successful West African leaders tended to be peacemakers rather than warriors. Caravans from North Africa crossed the Sahara beginning in the seventh century of the Common Era. Traders exchanged gold for something the West Africans prized even more: salt. Salt was used as a flavoring, a food preservative, and as today, a means of retaining body moisture.The first people to make the trek across the Sahara were the Berbers of North Africa who brought their strict Islamic faith across the desert. The Berbers converted many of the merchants of West Africa to Islam, but most of the common people retained their traditional beliefs. The ancient West Africans, like Native Americans and the Sumerians, believed that many gods existed in nature. They did not accept the Muslim belief in one God.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

Ghana: An Empire Built on Trade- http://mrkash.com/activities/ghanamaliempires.html

The Beginnings of Ghana In the 400s, a group of primarily nomadic people named the Berbers formed a kingdom just south of the Sahara desert; they called their kingdom Ghana. They began to use camels to carry goods across the Sahara Desert. From the north came salt; from the west came the rich resources of gold, ivory, and other goods. Ghana was located in the middle of the salt and gold trade routes.

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nomadic – without a permanent home

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The Empire of Ghana Although founded by Berbers, Ghana eventually was controlled by the Soninke, a group of people living in the region. They built their capital city, Kumbi Saleh, right on the edge of the Sahara and the city quickly became the most important southern trade center of the Saharan trade routes. The kingdom was ruled by a king called the ghana. In addition to holding military power, the king was the supreme judge of the kingdom.Gradually, Ghana grew very rich, due in large part to the trans- Saharan trade. The ghana required traders to give him a percentage of the products they were trading. If a trader was trading in gold, he was required to pay the ghana part of his gold. The ghana also placed a tax on the local goldmines. As Ghana grew richer, the kingdom expanded into an empire, requiring neighboring groups of people to pay tribute. This increased Ghana’s wealth and power even more.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

The End of Ghana In the year 1062 CE, however, the empire of Ghana came under attack. Berbers, calling themselves Almoravids, sought to gain control of the Saharan trade routes, and launched a war against Ghana. In 1076 the Almoravids captured Kumbi Saleh, ending rule of the ghanas and converting many to Islam.NOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

Mali: West Africa's Golden Empire- The Beginnings of Mali With the demise of Ghana, another great empire arose in West Africa. Mali, located in the Sahel, a grassland region on the southern border of the Sahara Desert, became powerful by controlling the rich trans-Saharan trade routes between northern and western Africa, especially the gold trade. Mali was located in an agriculturally rich area along the upper Niger River. Most of the gold for trade came up the Niger River, which gave Mali a chance to control that trade. Control of the Niger River helped Mali grow as an empire.demise – endtrans-Saharan trade – across the Sahara Desert agriculturally – ability to farm, grow crops

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The rulers of Mali came to be called mansa, meaning “emperor” or “master.” Mansa Musa was Mali’s greatest king, ruling from 1312 to 1337 CE. He was the grandson of Sundiata’s half brother, and ruled Mali at a time of great prosperity, during which trade tripled. During his rule, he doubled the land area of Mali; it became a larger kingdom than any in Europe at the time. The cities of Mali became important trading centers for all of West Africa as well as famous centers of wealth, culture, and learning. Timbuktu, an important city in Mali, became one of the major cultural centers not only of Africa but of the entire world. Vast libraries and Islamic universities were built. These became meeting places of the finest poets, scholars, and artists of Africa and the Middle East. Mansa Musa, who was Muslim, was perhaps best known outside of Mali for his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 C.E. According to some

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accounts, 60,000 people accompanied him, along with 200 camels laden with gold, food, clothing, and other goods. This pilgrimage displayed Mansa Musa’s enormous wealth and generosity.prosperity – wealthvast – very largeNOTES POSSIBLE TOPIC

Merchants and traders in West Africa saw many advantages in converting to Islam

Literacy spread because belief in Islam encourages Muslims to learn the Quran. Many Muslims speak Arabic, the language of the Quran. In time, Arabic became the common

language of the merchants and traders of West Africa. Strict Muslims follow Islamic law. It is easier to solve disputes when both parties agree on the

laws. Conversion to Islam opened up new trading possibilities across North Africa and in Arabia. Many

Muslims journey to Mecca at least once. This encouraged them to meet new people and discover new cultures.

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