Overview
This lecture covered the three major trade routes of Afro-Eurasia from 1200-1450: the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean routes, and Trans-Saharan routes, focusing on their economic, cultural, and technological impacts.
The Silk Roads
- Land-based trade route from China through Europe and North Africa, active before 1200 but thrived under large empires.
- Mainly carried luxury goods like Chinese silk, a major status symbol.
- Facilitated significant cultural exchanges, such as the spread and transformation of Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism and syncretism).
- Spread diseases, most notably the Black Death, which greatly reduced populations.
Indian Ocean Trade Routes
- Largest pre-Atlantic sea-based trade network, stretching from China to East Africa.
- Allowed for transport of both luxury (porcelain, spices, gold) and bulk goods (wheat, sugar, rice) due to ship capacity.
- Relied on predictable monsoon winds and innovations like the magnetic compass, astrolabe, and Chinese junks (large ships).
- Growth due to China’s economic revival and the rise of Islam, which connected vast regions and encouraged trade.
- Led to the development of new political entities (Srivijaya Kingdom) in Southeast Asia and urban Swahili city-states in East Africa, both influenced by trade and Islam.
Trans-Saharan Trade Routes
- Linked North Africa and the Mediterranean with West Africa, exchanging manufactured goods for agricultural products.
- The introduction of the Arabian camel enabled efficient travel across the Sahara.
- Spurred the rise of West African civilizations like Mali, which controlled trade and imposed taxes on goods.
- Trade activities fostered social hierarchies, with royalty, elites, merchants, military/religious classes, peasants, and slaves.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Silk Roads — land-based trade routes connecting China to Europe and North Africa.
- Indian Ocean Routes — maritime trade network linking East Africa to China and Southeast Asia.
- Trans-Saharan Routes — trade routes crossing the Sahara Desert, connecting North and West Africa.
- Mahayana Buddhism — a Buddhist branch making Buddha a deity, emphasizing compassion and merit.
- Monsoon — seasonal winds enabling predictable navigation on the Indian Ocean.
- Chinese Junks — large, flat-bottomed ships used for oceanic trade.
- Swahili Civilization — urban, coastal city-states in East Africa influenced by trade and Islam.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review how trade routes affected the spread of religions, technologies, and diseases.
- Study maps of the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan trade routes for geographic context.