Trade Networks in Africa, Asia, & Indian Ocean
The Silk Roads
- Active since at least 3000 BCE (archaeological record), exchanging goods throughout
much of central Asia
- By 100 BCE, Han China had network of roads connecting towns and frontier forts far
west of main Chinese population center
- Where trade takes place, money is made
- 128 BCEGeneral Zhang Jian crossedTaklamakanDesertto region of Ferghana
- In this dry area of land, if you are unprepared, you WILL DIE
- Encountered nomads who bred horses far greater than Chinese horses of the time
- Faster, stronger, bigger
- China can’t believe someone did something better than they could
- Brought back large number of plants and trees to China
- Jian led 18 more expeditions and fostered sustained trade along this route, the first
Silk Road
- Connection with the Parthian Empire brought the Mediterranean world into Silk Road
trade
- Roman coins have been found in China, vice versa
Products and People
- Many new products become staples and now grown in China through trade
- Pistachio
- Pomegranate
- Sesame
- Coriander
- Other notable “Chinese” ingredients become staples
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- In return, China tradedpaper, silk, gunpowder
- Trade along the Silk Roads functions because of pastoral nomads providing animals,
handlers (their services), and protection (of caravans)
- Nomads, aware of farming, utilized the products grown through trade
- Don’t have a home base
- Self-sufficiency was key to their survival
- Silk Roads wouldn’t function w/o them
Impact of Silk Roads
- Cosmopolitan cities grew in size across the trade routes of the Silk Road
- People like to settle here b/c they can make money, and there are also
connections to their homelands through trade
The Silk Roads
- Active since at least 3000 BCE (archaeological record), exchanging goods throughout
much of central Asia
- By 100 BCE, Han China had network of roads connecting towns and frontier forts far
west of main Chinese population center
- Where trade takes place, money is made
- 128 BCEGeneral Zhang Jian crossedTaklamakanDesertto region of Ferghana
- In this dry area of land, if you are unprepared, you WILL DIE
- Encountered nomads who bred horses far greater than Chinese horses of the time
- Faster, stronger, bigger
- China can’t believe someone did something better than they could
- Brought back large number of plants and trees to China
- Jian led 18 more expeditions and fostered sustained trade along this route, the first
Silk Road
- Connection with the Parthian Empire brought the Mediterranean world into Silk Road
trade
- Roman coins have been found in China, vice versa
Products and People
- Many new products become staples and now grown in China through trade
- Pistachio
- Pomegranate
- Sesame
- Coriander
- Other notable “Chinese” ingredients become staples
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- In return, China tradedpaper, silk, gunpowder
- Trade along the Silk Roads functions because of pastoral nomads providing animals,
handlers (their services), and protection (of caravans)
- Nomads, aware of farming, utilized the products grown through trade
- Don’t have a home base
- Self-sufficiency was key to their survival
- Silk Roads wouldn’t function w/o them
Impact of Silk Roads
- Cosmopolitan cities grew in size across the trade routes of the Silk Road
- People like to settle here b/c they can make money, and there are also
connections to their homelands through trade
