Chapter 8 Networks of Communication and Exchange, 30

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Chapter 8

• Networks of Communication and Exchange,
• 300 BC-1100 AD

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The Silk Road

• Connected Mediterranean with China
• In 128 BC General Zhang made the first
  exploratory journey into Central Asia
• Ferghana
• Horse breeders
• Originator of overland trade and introduced new
  plants and trees to China

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• Central Asians were mainly nomadsmigrations had
  little to do with trade
• Keys to opening Silk Road
• Eastern ends eagerness for western products
• Western ends flourishing markets in Mesopotamia
• Trading cities grew and flourishedruled by local
  princes

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• Breeding of hybrid camels developed
• Bactrian v. dromedary
• Hairless v. shaggy
• Alfalfa, grapes, sesame, spinach, jasmine oil,
  zinc, etc. carried into China
• Peaches, ginger, silk, pottery, paper, etc. left
  China and traded in the West
• Chinese figurines showed pack animals carrying
  silk, thus the name originated for trade route

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Impact of Silk Road Trade

• Affected ethnic mix of region and cultural values
• Increased interest in Buddhism
• Chariot warfare and mounted bowmen spread from
  Central Asia eastward and westward
• Stirrupmost important invention
• Knights of Europe and Tang Cavalry

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The Indian Ocean

• Trade network across the Indian Ocean and South
  China Sea
• Three distinct regions
• South China Sea, Chinese and Malays
• East coast of India to the island of Southeast
  Asia, Chinese and Malays
• From the west coast of India to the Persian Gulf
  and eastern coast of Africa

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• Monsoon winds facilitated sailing across Indian
  Ocean
• Traveled farther distances than Mediterranean
  sailors
• Vessels relied on lateen sails
• Four sided, more stable
• Traders were distanced from political ties with
  homeland
• Created colonies with local independent political
  powers
• War seldom occurred in Indian Ocean

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Impact of Indian Ocean Trade

• Demand for products encouraged long voyages
• Exotic animals, ivory, dragons blood, pearls,
  etc were traded
• Indian Ocean trading region had a great variety
  of highly valued products
• Indian Ocean ports were often isolated
• Suffered from lack of supplies and water

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• Sailors and merchants often married local women
  in port cities
• Families established were bilingual and
  bicultural
• Communication across the Indian Ocean increased
  over time
• New products introduced to areas
• Hindu gods were worshipped in some lands near
  southwestern Iran

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Routes across the Sahara

• Stretched from the Red Sea to the Atlantic
  Oceanisolated Sub-Saharan Africa from
  Mediterranean
• Over time trade across trans-Saharan caravan
  routes excited Europeans
• They wanted to find the source of the Saharan
  wealth

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• Early Saharan cultures are known because of rock
  paintings and engravings that show their early
  history
• Images of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, etc show
  the region was wetter
• Artwork shows that hunting societies were joined
  by new cultures
• Cattle domestication reached Africa before Sahara
  became completely dry
• No evidence of chariot use has been
  discoveredpictures remain a mystery

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• Saharan trade route is related to the spread of
  camel domestication
• Camels reached Sahara from Arabia
• Camel herding made it easier for people to roam
  the desert
• Link between south and north trading systems
  developed slowly
• Southern traders concentrated on supplying salt
  to desert peoples
• Gold dust
• Northern traders supplied Italy with agricultural
  products

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Ghana

• Earliest known sub-Saharan beneficiary of new
  exchange system
• After conquered, many converted to Islam
• They regained their independence and Ghana never
  recovered to its former greatness
• Muslims came to hold high economic positions

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sub-Saharan Africa

• Became the most important network of cultural
  exchange
• great traditions united regions through
  language, common belief systems, traditions,
  ethic codes
• Cultural unity was complex because of similar
  characteristics within each region
• Very diverse

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• Sub-Saharan agriculture became common north of
  the equator
• Metallurgy developed
• Precious metals used for coinage
• More than three hundred languages were spoken
• Southeast Asia was important for pig
  domestication
• Eating pork became ritualized

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Spread of Buddhism and Christianity

• Buddhism became one of the three most popular and
  widespread religions
• Buddhism transferred along Silk Road and Indian
  Ocean trading route
• Christianity spread in Asia and Africa before
  Islam
• Christianity was acquainted with Greek learning
• Christianity, Buddhism and Islam all developed
  local customs as they spread