AP World History Unit 2: Networks of Exchange

AP World History Unit 2 focuses on the period 1200 to 1450, emphasizing the connections between various states through networks of exchange. These networks enabled both economic interaction and cultural diffusion across different regions.

Networks of Exchange

General Developments

• The geographical range of networks expanded during this period, connecting more states and empires, leading to increased interaction and the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.
• Innovations in commercial practices and technology facilitated the expansion of these networks.
• The connectivity between places enriched and empowered various states due to their participation in these networks, while also causing some to decline or collapse.

Major Networks

1. The Silk Roads: Stretched across Eurasia, trading mainly luxury goods like Chinese silk and porcelain. The need for premium goods due to the difficult journey accentuated the exchange of high-value products, which in turn affected production choices and technological advancements, like the development of caravan serais and money economies.

2. The Indian Ocean Network: Enabled by a thorough understanding of monsoon winds, this maritime network traded a variety of goods, spurred by technological and navigational advancements. The trades here included more accessible goods compared to the Silk Roads, contributing to the prosperity of states like the Swahili city-states.

3. The Trans-Saharan Trade Network: Known for the improved camel saddle, this network's expansion helped states like the Empire of Mali prosper through trade, including gold, and their integration into the wider Muslim trading world.

Effects of These Networks

1. Cultural Consequences: The networks facilitated the transfer of religions, artistic influences, scientific knowledge, and technological advancements. Buddhism's spread into China, Islamic scholars translating and expanding upon Greek and Roman classics, and the introduction of gunpowder to various parts of the world exemplify these cultural exchanges.

2. Rise and Fall of Cities: The expansion of trade networks led to the prosperity of certain cities, such as Hangzhou in China, and the decline of others, like Baghdad after the Mongol invasions.

3. Travel Accounts: Travelers like Ibn Battuta documented their observations, providing a rich source of historical insight into the cultures and economies across different regions.

Environmental Consequences

The increased connectivity also had environmental impacts, such as the spread of crops like Champa rice, which contributed to population growth in China. Notably, diseases like the bubonic plague spread along these networks, devastating populations across continents.

Mongol Empire and Connectivity

The Mongol Empire played a crucial role in enhancing connectivity, establishing the largest land-based empire and promoting trade across its vast domains. This era of Mongol peace, or Pax Mongolica, allowed for unprecedented trade and cultural exchanges, serving as a catalyst for many of the developments discussed in this unit.