1. THE “ANCIENT INTERNET” WHERE YOU COULD “MAKE A KILLING” OR BE KILLED
THE SILK ROAD: MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND IDEAS Part One of Chapter 12 Notes
THE “ANCIENT INTERNET” WHERE YOU COULD “MAKE A KILLING” OR BE KILLED

2. 200 BCE—1400’S CE
THERE WERE SEVERAL ROUTES THAT MADE UP SILK ROAD, BUT THEY ALL WENT FROM CHINA TO THE MIDEAST (& THEN INTO EUROPE)
ROUGHLY 4,000-5,000 MILES
NO MERCHANT TRAVELLED THE WHOLE ROUTE TO BUY AND SELL
EACH STAYED IN THEIR OWN REGION OR WENT SLIGHTLY BEYOND

3. DIFFERENT LAND ROUTES ALL ROUTES WERE DANGEROUS!!
DESERTS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, SNOW
BANDITS, CORRUPT OFFICIALS, WARS
WATER, FOOD, INJURIES, DEAD ANIMALS

4. WHY IT EXISTED
ROMANS 1ST SAW SILK DURING A BATTLE AND IMMEDIATELY WANTED IT
WHEN MERCHANTS REALIZED ROMANS WANTED IT AND WOULD PAY GOLD FOR SILK, OLD TRADING ROADS BEGAN TO TAKE ON NEW IMPORTANCE IN LONG DISTANCE TRADE
CHINESE WERE ONLY ONES WHO KNEW THE SECRET OF MAKING SILK AND GUARDED IT FOR A 1,000 YEARS

5. MAKING OF SILK
THIS WAS A IMPERIAL SECRET KEPT BY CHINESE EMPERORS:
SILK PRODUCTION WAS A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER FOR CHINA
HISTORY SAYS MONKS SENT FROM BYZANTINE EMPIRE HID SILKWORMS IN CANES AND BROUGHT THEM BACK

6. CAMELS, HORSES, YAKS
CAMELS PREFERRED IN DESERTS: CARRIED 400 POUNDS, BIG FEET DIDN’T SINK IN SAND, NEED LITTLE WATER, GO LONG DISTANCES

7. YAKS
GOOD IN MOUNTAINS, SLOPES, IN SNOW AND ICE

8. HORSES
GOOD ON VARIABLE TERRAIN, CARRY DECENT LOADS, GOOD SPEED, EASIER TO MANAGE

9. A LOOK AT THE SILK ROAD

10. CHINA: GOODS TRADED
SILK #1!

11. CHINA: PORCELAIN ONLY THE CHINESE COULD MAKE THIS FORM OF POTTERY:
NEED FELDSPAR AND 2,500°F TEMPS
BECAME SO FAMOUS WE STILL CALL DISHES AND CUPS “CHINA”

12. CHINA: GOODS TRADED GUNPOWDER (800’S CE – TANG DYNASTY)
PAPER, AS WE KNOW IT
EUROPE MAKES PAPER ~ 1,100 A.D. AND GUNPOWDER ~ 1,300 A.D.

13. CHINA: GOODS TRADED COMPASS:
GAVE CARDINAL COORDINATES (N,E,S,W): INVALUABLE FOR SAILORS, MERCHANTS, ARMIES
W/ SEXTANT (ASTROLABE –from ARABS) COULD TELL HOW FAR NORTH/SOUTH OF EQUATOR

14. INDIA: SILK ROAD DESTINATION
GUPTAS ENCOURAGE TRADE AND A ROAD HEADS SOUTH INTO INDIA
COTTON
SPICES—LOTS AND LOTS
PRECIOUS GEMS & PEARLS
IVORY & ELEPHANTS
EXOTIC WOODS (TEAK, SANDALWOOD)
SLAVES

15. INDIA: SILK ROAD DESTINATION
MOVEMENT OF IDEAS:
BUDDHISM & HINDUISM
“ZERO”, DECIMAL SYSTEM, MODERN NUMERS, PI
SURGERY AND PLANT MEDICINES

16. ABBASID EMPIRE: SILK ROAD DESTINATION
ABBASID & LATER RULERS MADE TRADE EASY FOR MUSLIMS/ARABS:
MOVED CAPITAL TO BAGHDAD: NEAR TRADE ROUTES
LETTERS OF CREDIT EXCHANGED AT BANKS ANYWHERE IN EMPIRE FOR MONEY —SAFER!
ONE LANGUAGE, ONE CURRENCY

17. ABBASID EMPIRE: GOODS TRADED
ARABIAN HORSES
METALS/WEAPONS
FOODS
PRECIOUS GEMS
SLAVES
CLOTH
SPICES AND INCENSE

18. ABBASID EMPIRE: IDEAS ISLAM SPREADS ALONG SILK ROAD!
ALGEBRA: HELPS MAKE MODERN WORLD POSSIBLE
MUSLIM MEDICINE—ADVANCED, CATARACT SURGERY, SMALLPOX VACCINE
MUSLIM SCHOLARS KEEP GREEK ROMAN LEARNING ACTIVE

19. BYZANTINE EMPIRE: SILK ROAD DESTINATION
CONSTANTINOPLE BECOMES AN IMPORTANT “END OF SILK ROAD” “GATEWAY INTO EUROPE”
GOOD HARBORS
SAFE: ENORMOUS & LONG WALLS
GOOD/FAIR LAWS
HOSPITALS & HIGHER LEARNING
ENTERTAINMENT: HIPPODROME!

20. BYZANTINE EMPIRE: GOODS AND IDEAS
WINE AND GRAPES
WOVEN GOODS
GLASSWARE
TIMBER (FROM BLACK SEA REGION)
ART (FROM HERE AND EUROPE)
FUR AND ANIMAL HIDES
CHRISTIANITY SPREAD FROM HERE

21. OTHER SILK ROAD STOPS PERSIA: CENTRAL ASIA: RUGS
DATES, FIGS, PEACH TREES, JASMINE
CENTRAL ASIA:
HORSES, LAP/HUNTING DOGS, CAMELS
ALMONDS, MELONS, FURS, SLAVES
PRECIOUS STONES & GLASS ITEMS

22. SEA ROUTES
WHILE ONLY THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN LAND ROUTES =“TRUE SILK ROAD”, TRADE BY SEA WAS IMPORTANT
SHIPS CAN CARRY MORE GOODS
CAN VISIT MORE (& FURTHER) LOCATIONS
BY 1400 CE - SEA ROUTES START TO REPLACE LAND ROUTES

23. A FEW SEA ROUTE STOPS INDONESIA: SPICES, SPICES, TIMBER
BURMA: AMBER & PEACOCK FEATHERS
INDIA: TIMBER, SPICES
AFRICA: EASIER TO VISIT BY SEA: GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!; IVORY, ANIMAL SKINS, SLAVES…ALL FROM EAST AFRICA

24. IMPACT OF SILK ROAD THE SILK ROAD CHANGED THE WORLD IMMENSELY
Diseases spread along with goods and ideas…Reduced populations of large empires by 1/3 to ¼
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
LIVES WERE ENRICHED BY EXCHANGE OF :
MATERIAL GOODS AND ECONOMIC TRADE
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
CULTURES: FOODS, CLOTHES, LANGUAGES
IDEAS AND WAYS TO DO & MAKE THINGS (SCIENCE, ART, MEDICINE, ARCHITECTURE, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE, LAWS, GOVT, ETC)

25. ONE LAST LOOK
Ted Ed Silk Road Video