7th Grade Early World History The Silk Road 7th Grade Early World History

What do you see, hear, and smell in this picture?

Learning Targets for the Silk Road Describe how products and ideas were spread through the Silk Road Identify the Geographic locations and features of the Silk Road Identify the dangers of the Silk Road Assess the impact of the Silk Road on empires connected by the Silk Road

Item Originated in the United States Originated in Another Culture Chewing Gum Yo-Yo Chocolate Little Red Riding Hood Ice Cream Shampoo Pasta Lipstick Fork Doughnut Roller Skates Pancake Sandwich Paper Zipper

Item Originated in the United States Originated in Another Culture Chewing Gum x Yo-Yo Chocolate Little Red Riding Hood Ice Cream Shampoo Pasta Lipstick Fork Doughnut Roller Skates Pancake Sandwich Paper Zipper

The Silk Road

MERCHANT - a person whose job is to buy, sell & trade goods MERCHANT - a person whose job is to buy, sell & trade goods. (salesman or businessman)

The Silk Road: Time Period The Silk Road lasted for over a thousand years. From the Roman Empire (3-200 BCE) until Medieval Europe (1000s CE). There were three phases where it was used and traveled more than other times. Han Dynasty (2nd Century B.C.E. – 2nd Century C.E.) Tang Dynasty (7th – 10th Century C.E.) Yuan Dynasty (12th – 14th Century C.E.) Marco Polo visits China

The Silk Road: What is it? The Silk Road was not actually a road. It was not paved. It was not even a single route.  The Silk Road was a name given to a series of inter- connected trade routes that spanned across Asia (China to Rome). It was a 4000-mile trip. At one end was China. At the other end was the Roman Empire. 

Empires of the Silk Road Byzantine Empire Mongol Empire Ottoman Empire Chinese Empires Mughal Empire

___________________ What would you title this section? Think about a term we used to describe trade in the Roman Empire. Every civilization within the silk road had something the other wanted. Rome had gold and silver and precious gems. China had silk, spices and ivory.  In addition to physical objects, ideas also traveled along the Silk Road., ideas that affected everyone. The spreading of goods and ideas between cultures is known as cultural diffusion.

Exchange of Goods

What do you see? How can we compare this to the trade of today? Why was this important to global history?

ITEMS TRADED ALONG THE SILK ROAD OUD ITEMS TRADED ALONG THE SILK ROAD GLASS BACTRIAN CAMELS CARPETS JADE PORCELAIN METAL WORK SILK SPICES What items would you trade if you were a merchant of the Silk Road? List 2-3 items and why you would trade them.

Dangers of the Silk Road Over the centuries, the Silk Road flourished and developed a civilization of its own. Where possible, the Silk Road became lined with huge temples and booming cities. It became far easier to travel the road eventually. But it was never easy. There were still vast stretches of deserts and mountains to cross, with no city or water in sight. 

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE TRAVELING ON THE SILK ROAD?

Dangers of the Silk Road It was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road. You faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, and dangerous animals.  There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor, a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of the Kunlun Mountains. To reach this strip, you had to cross the Talamkan desert or the Himilayan mountains And of course, there were always bandits and pirates.   Even the traders did not make the whole trip. They worked in relays. Each trader would go a certain distance, exchange their goods for other goods, and hopefully return. The next would move along the road, trade, and hopefully return.   There were three main routes, and all were dangerous. Northern Route – Westward to Black Sea Central Route – Westward to Persia, Mediterranean Sea, Rome Southern Route – Westward to Iran, India

Geography of the Silk Road: Even though there were many physical obstacles, trade continued. Taklimakan Desert Himalayan Mountains Kunlun Mountains Pamir Mountains

Taklamakan Desert: “The Desert of Death” The Silk Road merchants avoided the Taklamakan Desert and passed through the oasis towns on its outskirts

Section 3

Section 4

Today’s Instructions Put your stuff to the side of the room or desk groups with no paper on them Sit in the middle space on the floor Don’t touch any papers, desks, or objects set up in the room

Debriefing What aspects of the activity were the most challenging? Why? Would you have wanted to be a trader along the Silk Road? Why or why not?

Section 5

11/26/12 Bell Work In addition to exchanging goods for riches, what else was traded between the different peoples of the Silk Road and what was its effect on the Silk Road?

Asian Empire Project You will be creating a Project as a group You will be in the same groups as you were for the Griot Project Read thoroughly through the Project Instructions and Rubrics This will be due next week on Tuesday, December 5th

2nd Period Groups Byzantine: China: Paige, Ben, Macleary, Anna, Jack N., Nick Mongul: Emma, Freeman, Emma T., Sean, Sara P. Mughal: Jack B., Madeline K., Lily B., Sara J., Aidan H. Ottoman: Maria C., Caroline D., Grace W., Andrew H., Joey C.

4th Period Groups Byzantine: China: Mongul: Mughal: Ottoman: