Unit 2: The Silk Roads

Introduction

• The Silk Roads were a vast network of roads and trails facilitating trade and cultural exchange across Eurasia (1200-1450).
• Beyond trade in goods, cultural diffusion was significant along these routes.
• Primarily luxury items, such as Chinese silk, were traded due to the high cost of transporting goods.

Importance of the Silk Roads

• Connected states and facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas.
• Critical in understanding the causes and effects of the growth of exchange networks during this period.

Innovations Facilitating Trade

Commercial Practices

1. Money Economies
   • Introduction of paper money in China.
   • Facilitated easier and more secure trade transactions across regions.
2. Use of Credit
   • "Flying money": paper issued and exchanged for coins in different regions.
   • Expanded trade and networks.
3. Banking System
   • Banking houses (modeled after Chinese systems) allowed the exchange of bills for money.

Transportation Technologies

• Caravanserai
  • Inns/guesthouses a day's journey apart, providing safety and cultural exchange hubs.
• Saddles
  • Improved comfort and capacity for long-distance travel.

Effects of Increased Trade

Rise of Trading Cities

• Kashgar
  • Located at the convergence of Silk Road routes, provided resources and became a center for Islamic scholarship.
• Samarkand
  • Another major trading hub, known for cultural exchange, with relics from various religions.

Demand for Luxury Goods

• Increased demand led to higher production by Chinese, Indian, and Persian artisans.
• Economic shifts towards producing luxury items led to proto-industrialization in China.

Cultural Diffusion

• Merchants exchanged not only goods but also cultural and religious ideas (e.g., Islam and Buddhism).
• Spread of technology, such as saddles.
• Facilitated the spread of diseases, notably the Bubonic Plague.

Additional Resources

• Reference to the AP World Heimler Review Guide for further study and practice questions.