Unit 2 - Networks of Exchange across Afro-Eurasia 1200 - 1450

Question 1

Silk Roads

Answer 1

A vast network of roads and trials that facilitated trade as well as the spread of culture and ideas (cultural diffusion) across Eurasia (Europe + Asia) from before 1200 to 1450. Chinese silk mainly traded, connecting many nations. Many innovations to trade helped to increase it in many continents.

Question 2

Innovations in Commercial Practices in the Silk Roads

Answer 2

Development of Money Economics: China started using paper money to facilitate trade, which allowed a merchant to deposit bills in one location and then withdraw the same amount in another location increasing ease of travel and security of transactions. Increasing use of credit: Instead of paper, merchants could secure pieces of paper from Merchant families in one region and then go to another region and exchange that paper for coins. Known as “flying money” Its name came from the ability to transfer cash across vast distances without physically transporting it. Rise of Banks: Banks made to help to facilitate trade and the growing economy. In Europe, they created banking houses based on the Chinese model, introducing a bill of exchange. Bills of exchange allowed a person in one country to pay someone in a different country and in a different currency. The Bill of Exchange was a form of loan on which interest was charged.

Question 3

Innovations in Technology

Answer 3

Caravanserai: A series of inns and guest houses spaced about the length of a day’s travel on roads merchants visited frequently so they can lodge themselves + animals for the night. Provided safety from plunders or robbers, because centers of cultural diffusion due to merchants from all around the world would meet at these places. Saddles: To improve comfort of travel over long distances. There were also frame and mattress saddles where you could have a seat and store items on top of it.

Question 4

Effects of increasing trade

Answer 4

Military, New Trading Cities, Increased Demand, Cultural Diffusion

Question 5

Military

Answer 5

Military used trade routes to conquer areas. Baghdad became on the decline because they were able to sack Baghdad with these trade routes. A similar thing happened in Constantinople in the Byzantine Empire with the Ottoman empire.

Question 6

New Trading Cities

Answer 6

Cities built along the trade routes in the Silk Roads that allowed them to grow in power and wealth, gave rest stops for merchants. These cities were: Kashgar and Samarkand. Kashgar is a city in Eastern China, located in the convergence of major routes which pass through exceedingly hot and dry terrain, but was built around a river so merchants could get resources there. Increasing demand for trade made Kashgar a center of highly profitable markets and cultural exchange and later became a thriving center for Islamic scholarship. Samarkand was similar to Kashgar in being built near major trade routes and being a center for cultural exchanges.

Question 7

Increased Demand

Answer 7

Increased demand for luxury goods like silk and porcelain, making Chinese, Indian, and Persian artisans increase production for these goods. Peasants in Yangtze river valley spent more time producing silk and textiles than food production. Set the conditions in China for Proto-industrialization, a process where China produced more goods than their population could consume, so the excess was sold, and that money could be used to invest in iron and steel industries.

Question 8

Cultural Diffusion

Answer 8

Merchants spread goods, ideas and cultures. Islamic merchants spread Islam and Buddhist merchants spread Buddhism.

Question 9

Mongol Empire

Answer 9

Rose to power in 1206 Largest contiguous land based empire ever, located in east asia or present day Mongolia.The Mongols resided in the Gobi Desert as pastoral nomads (people who travel from place to place depending on the season for their whole life). The ruler of a Mongol tribe was known as a Khan. Defeated the Song forces’ capital (Huangzhou). The Song dynasty finally ended in 1279 with the destruction of the Song fleet near Guangzhou (Canton). The Mongol empire also destroyed the Abbasid Caliphate with the Sack of Baghdad in 1258. Facilitated many cultural exchanges in many parts of Eurasia.

Question 10

Temujin

Answer 10

The Mongol empire started with the birth of Temujin, born holding a blood clot which in his culture meant he was gonna be a strong baby. Temujin was a Mongol, and the Mongols at the time resided in the Gobi Desert as pastoral nomads (people who travel from place to place depending on the season for their whole life). Temujin grew up to be a powerful person, was a skilled diplomat and his allies were also powerful. Fought in several military raids and was victorious. He united the various Mongol groups federation of Mongol tribes on the banks of the Onon River and in 1206 became Chingis Khan (aka Ghengis Khan), or the Khan of the Mongol empire/tribes. Conquered Northern China, Central Asia, and Southern Russia. He died in 1227, but his sons and successors kept expanding the land more and more.

Question 11

How were the Mongols so dominant in terms of military despite a smaller population?

Answer 11

Their military organization granted them success. Chingis Khan organized the military into groups of 10,000, 1000, 100, 10 so controlling and commanding them was simple. Their weapon of choice was a bow, which could sink arrows into their enemies from further away. They were also skilled at horseback riding, outriding their foes. They also had lucky timing for forming their state/military, with both the Song and Abbasid empire on the decline. They were also very brutal, killing everyone in one place except for a few so those few people and then went to other places to warn others about how powerful the Mongols were, so people just surrendered when the Mongols came. They were now peaceful when they controlled basically everything. This period of peace was the Pax Mongolica.

Question 12

Khanates

Answer 12

As the Mongol empire expanded, empires in Asia were now the Mongol empire, and the Mongol empire then after Chinghis Khan died his grandsons divided parts of the land into Khanates or military regions that they owned/ruled. Mongol rulers adopted the cultural norms over the lands they were khans of.

Question 13

Kublai Khan

Answer 13

ruling China, formed the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), a foreign ruled dynasty since the Khans were not Chinese. Since he was able to unite waring/conflicting factions in China, the Confucian belief believed he had the mandate of heaven to rule. He established himself as a benevolent Confucian style ruler; a prime example of how Mongol rulers adopted the cultural norms over the lands they were khans of. After Kublai’s death in 1294, the Mongol Empire fragmented. Many of his successors were inept, and none attained Kublai’s stature. From 1300 on disputes over succession weakened the central government in China, and there were frequent rebellions.

Question 14

Yuan Dynasty

Answer 14

Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1271 to 1368. It was founded by Kublai Khan, During the Yuan Dynasty, China experienced significant cultural exchange and economic growth due to increased trade along the Silk Road and maritime routes. It was overthrown by the Ming Dynasty.

Question 15

Ming dynasty

Answer 15

a Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644. The early Ming emperors implemented policies to centralize power, promote Confucian ideology, and restore traditional Chinese values, were ethically Han. The dynasty also undertook significant infrastructure projects, including the reconstruction of the Great Wall and the development of the Grand Canal. One of the most notable achievements of the Ming Dynasty was the voyages of exploration led by the admiral Zheng He. They were able to expand their empire trough gunpowder.

Question 16

Economy in the Mongol Empire

Answer 16

Safer Trade Routes with improved Infastructure and communication

Question 17

Safer Trade Routes due to Mongol Empire

Answer 17

Silk Roads was the most organized and prosperous under Mongol rule. Trade routes varied in safety, but then they now controlled most of Asia and parts of Europe, the silk roads were under their rule, meaning they were responsible for making sure it was prosperous for their benefit.

Question 18

Improved Infastructure and Communication

Answer 18

They improved infrastructure like bridges and roads to facilitate more trade. During the Pax Mongolica, trade flourished throughout the entire region. Increased communication and cooperation across Eurasia, exchanging artisans, military information and more. COmmunication facilitated with the Yam system.People being more friendly with each other further increased trade and further increased the Mongol economy.

Question 19

Technological and cultural transfers in the Mongol empire

Answer 19

The Mongols had a high opinion of intellectuals and skilled artisans, often careful not to kill those people in their conquests. It was Mongol policy to send skilled people to all different parts of the empire, which encouraged the transfer of technology and ideas and culture. The main effect of that was the transfer of medical knowledge from greek/islamic scholars to western europe. ANother was the Adoption of the Uyghur Script to write their language. Chinghis Khan created a written form for his language because he planned on getting intellectual people (who could write) from other countries. This was widely adopted across Mongolia.

Question 20

Indian Ocean Trade

Answer 20

A network of sea routes that connected the various states throughout Afro-Eurasia (Africa, Europe and Asia) through trade. Was around way before 1200, but grew in power between 1200 - 1450. More common items in addition to luxury items like in the silk roads were transported like cotton textiles and grains.

Question 21

Rise of Indian Ocean Trade

Answer 21

Because the Mongol empire declined, and they completely controlled the silk roads, there was a greater emphasis on Maritime (sea based) trade in the Indian Ocean. Innovations in commercial practices like money based economies and credit also allowed the Indian ocean trade to grow. Innovations in transportation technologies like the compass, the astrolabe (tool used to measure stars to get measure of location) and the lateen sail (allowing ships to take winds from any direction.) as well as knowledge of the Monsoon winds that blew in different directions depending on time of year, all leading to the expansion of maritime trade in the Indian Ocean. There was also an improvement in shipbuilding, the Chinese Junk was a massive cargo ship. Bigger and better dhows (ships) were also made. The rise of islam also helped to facilitate trade since Islam was very friendly towards merchants.

Question 22

Growth of Trade Cities and States

Answer 22

The Swahili city states grew powerful because of their strategic location, importing gold ivory and enslaved people. Used their money to build impressive mosques and other places of worship to display their great wealth.
Malacca - capital city of the sultanate of malacca. They controlled the strait of Malacca, allowing them to get very rich from the Indian ocean trade, because this strait was the Eastern entry and exitway of the path of the Indian Ocean Trade routes. Malaccan ships were able to tax all ships that passed through that state.
Gujarat - State in India’s west coast, strategic position where it was the midpoint between East, Southeast Asia and Africa, Where able to trade cotton and indigo in exchange for gold and silver. They were also able to tax ships that went near their ports,

Question 23

Diaspora communities

Answer 23

A group of people from one place who establish a home in another place while retaining their cultural customs. Chinese merchants established these communities in the Indian Ocean region and Southeast Asia, Arab and Persian merchants all established diasporic communities in East Africa. These communities became a connective tissue to hold the Indian Ocean community together. Diaspora merchants could communicate with the locals in the new regions they established home in to better facilitate trade.

Question 24

Cultural and Technological transfers in the Indian Ocean

Answer 24

As merchants traveled back and forth they brought with them their religion, language and technology. For example, Zheng He, commissioned by China’s new Ming dynasty to explore the Indian ocean and enroll new states into China’s tributary system. Had a large fleet of 300 large ships, equipped with the latest military technology like gunpowder cannons, which places later on also used.

Question 25

Trans-Saharan trade routes

Answer 25

Series of trade routes connecting North Africa and the Mediterranean with the interior of West Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. Also existed long before 1200 but expanded in 1200 - 1450. Expanded with new transportation technologies, needed because the Shara desert was very difficult to get across. Camel Saddles and Caravanserai were also established, allowing merchants to travel more comfortably and carry more. Exported Gold, Kola nuts, horses and salts. Each region specialized in creating specific goods, increasing the need for trade.

Question 26

Empire of Mali

Answer 26

Empire in West Africa that was able to grow with the help of these Trans-Saharan trade routes. Were established in the 13th century, but were already introduced to Islam centuries before, becoming connected through trade routes with Dar-al-Islam, gaining an increasing amount of wealth. Exported gold and taxed other merchants for people who traveled through their routes. The most extravagant example of their wealth was with Mansu Musa.

Question 27

Mansu Musa

Answer 27

A muslim who decided to embark on the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Left with a giant entourage, stopped in Egypt to gain supplies, and while there he gained so much gold that caused a mass inflation, he was able to do that with the expansion of Mali. His wealth was also able to further increase the wealth of Mali and further grow trade networks.

Question 28

Cultural transfers

Answer 28

Merchants brought not just goods, but culture and technology with them. The most important type of cultural transfers was the spread of belief systems. Buddhism spread from India to east Asia via the silk roads. Resulted in a new blending of ideas (syncretism) between Buddhism and Chinese Daoism, forming Chan Buddhism. Buddhism was also transported to Japan with Zen Buddhism. Islam also spread through trade. Inclusion into a giant islamic network of exchange made many regions want to convert to gain this wealth.

Question 29

Artistic and Literary transfers

Answer 29

House of Wisdom (refer to unit 1) translated works that transferred to southern europe which was able to spark the renaissance.

Question 30

Scientific and Technological Transfers

Answer 30

Chinese Papermaking technologies and Movable type were spread to Europe and then modified and adapted by them, leading to an increase in literacy. The Mongols were able to spread gunpowder, which was adopted and perfected by islamic empires to “blow up everyone’s stuff”, altering the power balance in the world.

Question 31

Hangzhou

Answer 31

trading city in Song Dynasty at the southern end of the grand Canal, one of China’s most significant trading cities. Helped in the urbanization of the landscape.

Question 32

Examples of Interregional travel

Answer 32

Interregional travel Was able to increase due to the increased safety of trade routes with the Mongol empire.
Ibn Battuta was a Muslim scholar from Morocco who was able to travel all over Dar-al-islam and take note about people, places, rulers and cultures which was possible because of trade routes. Sailed on ships, rode on camels, and more. His travels were important because it helped his readers to develop an understanding of far-flung cultures.
Macro Polo was another traveler who traveled from Italy to China, traveled throughout the Indian Ocean, and wrote about China’s wealth and the Kublai Khan court.
Margery Kemp was a christian mystic who made pilgrimages to christianity;s holy sites, who dictated her travels in great detail to people who were able to write it down, able to give insight into variations of how christianity was practiced.

Question 33

Agricultural Transfers

Answer 33

Merchants also introduced new crops to various places they visited. Bananas were first domesticated in Southeast Asia, then introduced in Africa, with Africa’s climate able to help flourish the growth of bananas in Africa. The expanded diet led to population growth. Bantu places in Africa were able to migrate because they were able to move to places where the Yam couldn’t grow, which was an important food for them, because of bananas. Champa rice in east asia was also able to travel because it was able to mature faster and could be harvested more than once, increasing population in China. Citrus fruits were introduced in Europe with Islamic empires, leading to better diets and health.

Question 34

Disease Transfers

Answer 34

The Bubonic plague (black death) was able to spread by the Mongol empire quickly taking over many places, which was able to quickly travel due to the trade routes the Mongols facilitated. In the Middle East, ⅓ of the population died. In Europe, ½ of the population died.