Silk Road
Which of these regions was not primarily connected by the Silk Road?
a. China
b. Central Asia
c. Europe
d. South Africa
d. South Africa
Which of these areas was not primarily connected by Indian Ocean Trade?
a. East Asia
b. Europe
c. South Asia
d. East Africa
b. Europe
Which of these regions was not primarily connected by Trans-Saharan Trade Routes?
a. East Asia
b. Sub-Saharan Africa
c. Mediterranean Basin
d. North Africa
a. East Asia
Who were the Mongols?
a. Wealthy aristocrats from Europe
b. Islamic missionaries from the Middle East
c. African nomads from the Sahara Desert
d. Pastoralists from the Central Asian steppes
d. Pastoralists from the Central Asian steppes
What were some major religions that spread through trade routes? (name at least 3)
Islam
Buddhism / Zen Buddhism
Christianity
Neo-Confucianism
Hinduism (doesn't prozelytize, but spread to Southeast Asia)
What were some of the most common goods traded on the Silk Road? (name at least 2)
Luxury goods
Silk & Porcelain
Textiles
Gunpowder
Horses
What were some of the most common goods traded on Indian Ocean trade routes? (name at least 2)
Gold
Ivory
Fruits
Textiles
Pepper
Rice
What were some of the most common goods traded along Trans-Saharan trade routes? (name at least 2)
Horses
Salt
Gold
Kola
Slaves
What distinguishes Mongol rulers culturally from many other ruling elites throughout history?
Mongol elites assimilated to conquered cultures in significant ways.
What was an important agricultural development during this time period?
Champa Rice (disease-resistant crop that stimulated population growth)
What were some major trade cities along the Silk Road? (name at least 2)
Chang'an
Kashgar
Samarkand
Constantinople
What was one major trade city along Indian Ocean trade routes?
Malacca
Calicut
Srivijiya
What were some major trade cities or empires along Trans-Saharan trade routes? (name at least 2)
Timbuktu
Gao
Cairo
Mali
Songhai
What was the Pax Mongolica and why was it significant?
A period of peace during which trade flourished because of the security offered by the Mongol Empire. Contributed to the Mongol Exchange.
In addition, Genghis Khan established influential social policies (like religious tolerance) and contributed to technological advancements (he consulted Chinese & Islamic scholars while building his capital city).
What were some new innovations in commerce that impacted the economy? (name at least 2)
Bill of Exchange
Flying Cash / Paper Money
Coin
Hanseatic League
Banking House
What were some new technologies on the Silk Road, and how did they facilitate trade/travel on the Silk Road? (name at least 2)
Saddles (increased load bearing)
Caravanserai (rest stops)
Caravans (safer to travel in groups)
What were some new technologies and how did they facilitate trade/travel along Indian Ocean trade routes? (name at least 2)
Astrolabe (navigation)
Magnetic Compass (navigation)
Lateen sail (triangular shape caught winds well)
Stern Rudder (better stability and maneuvering)
What were some technologies/animals and how did they facilitate trade/travel along Trans-Saharan trade routes?
Saddle (increased load bearing)
Camels (suited for desert climate)
What was a negative impact of the Mongols?
The increased trade under their Empire also led to the rapid spread of disease, namely the deadly Bubonic Plague (Black Death).
Their brutal conquests caused widespread destruction and death. For instance, they were responsible for the destruction of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad.
Who were some important travelers and where did they travel? (name at least 2)
Ibn Battuta (Scholar who traveled to Muslim lands and wrote about Islam)
Marco Polo (Italian traveler who introduced Europe to the prosperity of China during the Yuan Dynasty)
Zheng He (Admiral whose 7 voyages along the Indian Ocean showed the strength of the Ming Dynasty)
What term could describe the culturally isolated communities found along the Silk Road (and other trade networks) which did not fully assimilate into the dominant culture, and played an important role facilitating trade.
Diasporic communities/diasporas.
Why were monsoons significant to Indian Ocean Trade?
Monsoons led to the rise of new technologies that would help traders navigate and survive Indian Ocean winds.
While travelers waited for favorable conditions, there was increased interaction between foreign merchants and the locals, leading to diasporic communities.
How did the arrival of Islam impact Africa and/or Sub-Saharan Trade?
The arrival of Muslims merchants boosted trade along the Sahara desert, which was previously limited due to the harsh climate.
Islam helped leaders consolidate power, leading to the rise of powerful and wealthy empires like Mali.
Adopting Islam helped regions/empires like Mali attain more trading partners.
What happened to the Mongol empire following Temujin's death? Why?
The empire was divided between four sons, each region based on the previous conquered state/culture. This was done to prevent a succession crisis/civil war.
What was a major environmental impact that resulted from the growth of trade routes during this period?
The Bubonic Plague (Black Death) caused numerous deaths and led to the decline of population and of some major cities like Constantinople.