AP World History Unit 2 Overview

Time Period: 1200 to 1450

• Focus on connections between states through networks of exchange.
• Networks facilitated economic interactions and cultural diffusion.

Major Networks of Exchange

1. Silk Roads
2. Indian Ocean Network
3. Trans-Saharan Trade Network

General Developments

• Expansion of geographical range of networks.
• Innovations in commercial practices and technology.
• Growth of states' wealth and power.
• Rise and fall of cities due to increased interconnectivity.

Silk Roads

• Traded mainly luxury goods (e.g., Chinese silk and porcelain).
• Innovations in transportation: Caravanserai for safety and cultural exchange.
• Commercial practices: Development of money economies (e.g., flying money system, new forms of credit like bills of exchange).
• Powerful trading cities: Example - Kashgar, a key stop with resources and trade opportunities.

Indian Ocean Network

• Relied on understanding of monsoon winds.
• Traded bulk goods and luxury items.
• Technological innovations: Improved magnetic compass, astrolabe, ship designs (e.g., Chinese junk).
• Commercial practices: Credit systems similar to Silk Roads.
• Growth of Swahili city-states: Facilitated trade in gold, ivory, and other goods.
• Development of diaspora communities and cultural diffusion (e.g., spread of Islam).

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

• Expanded through camel saddle innovations.
• Example of growth: Mali Empire, prosperous through gold trade and Islamic connections.
• Leadership conversion to Islam increased its integration into trade networks.

Effects of Increased Connectivity

Cultural Consequences

• Spread of religions: Example - Buddhism spread to China via Silk Roads.
• Literary and artistic transfers: Islamic scholars' translations influenced the Renaissance.
• Scientific and technological transfers: Gunpowder technology spread from China.

Environmental Consequences

• Transfer of crops: Champa rice to China increased food production and population.
• Spread of diseases: Bubonic plague spread aligning with trade routes, affecting populations.

Mongol Empire

• Established the largest land-based empire, facilitating trade and cultural exchange.
• Pax Mongolica: Increased safety and continuity on the Silk Roads.
• Significant technological and cultural transfers: Medical knowledge and adoption of Uighur script.

Conclusion

• Unit 2 highlights the importance of trade networks in connecting various states and cultures, facilitating economic growth, cultural diffusion, and technological advancement across the world during the period 1200 to 1450.

For more resources and detailed study guides, refer to additional himler review materials.