I. Climate stability following the Ice Age in 10,000 BC created cultural changes. II. Hunter / Gathering becomes “civilizations” with agriculture. III. Increase knowledge and technology (irrigation!), and transportation. IV. Agriculture (farming) and domestication (keeping animals)increases because population increased, need food. V. Fertile Crescent, Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Ancient China, Rome = ancient civilizations. VI. Civilization = writing, social hierarchy, government, defense, trade.

Europe’s main form and path for trade with Asia was through the Silk Road Silk Road: Trade route in silk and spices (mustard, cinnamon) between China and Rome German researcher Ferdinand Richthofen who coined the term the Great Silk Road in his fundamental work, “China”, in1877.

The first users of the road must have lived in the first half of the first millennium BCE, but the name 'Silk road' is recent. Its most famous traveler lived more than twelve hundred years later: Marco Polo of Venice ( ). There were multiple stops and hubs set up along the trade route to provide safety and stop points to rest and resupply.

Europe Traded… Asia Traded… Expensive Horses Ivory Alfalfa Seed Woolen Goods Grapes Furs and Skins Cattle Spices China (dishes) Silk Fabric Teas Rice Cotton Fragrances

1.) Rise of Islam Remember the Crusades? What group wasn’t happy with Europe’s attempt to control and capture Jerusalem? 2.) Safety from Raiders- Bandits along the route would target and attack trading parties between trading hubs Traders had to hire their own protection from raiders

3.) Faster to trade by sea Travel by land was 8,000 miles round trip from Rome to China; but took months 4.) Carry more goods Ships carry more than twice the amount by land travel 5.) Civil War in China In the late 15 th and early 16 th century China was at war. Ottoman Empire took control of trading routes and closed route to European Countries