1. Traveling on the Silk Road
WORLD HISTORY READERS
Level 1-⑤
Traveling on the Silk Road

2. The Longest Road in the World
1. The Silk Road was only one way to travel from Europe to Asia long ago.
Silk Road terrain
Camels on the Silk Road
What was the Silk Road?
2. In fact, the Silk Road was made up of many roads. They passed through many different places like deserts, rivers, mountains, and forests.
3. It dates from about 100 BC.
A map of Marco Polo’s trip
An old tower on the Silk Road

3. How did people travel along this road?
Overlooking the Silk Road today
A Hard Trip
How did people travel along this road?
The best way to travel along the Silk Road was by camel.
Many people used horses, too. Others, the less fortunate travelers, had to walk.

4. What did people carry along this road between Europe and Asia?
Taking Things to Sell
The selling of traditional handicrafts, the Kyrgyz Republic
What did people carry along this road between Europe and Asia?
Most people traveling on the Silk Road were bringing things to sell.
Making thread
The Silk Road was also important for carrying ideas. Philosophies like Buddhism and mathematics were carried from country to country.
A statue of Buddha
The most famous thing was silk.
Mathematical symbols

5. Where did the Silk Road start in the east?
The Capital of China
Xian City Wall
Where did the Silk Road start in the east?
At the eastern end of the Silk Road was Xian. This was the capital of China about 2,000 years ago.
Xian had all the comforts of a big city. There was food to eat and water to drink.
Xian tower and wall
It was a good place for travelers to prepare for the next part of their journey.

6. Why was traveling on the Silk Road difficult?
Dangers of Travel
Sometimes, the people would be friendly.
Why was traveling on the Silk Road difficult?
Travelers on the Silk Road visited different countries where people spoke strange languages.
Bandits attacking
But sometimes traveling could be dangerous. In some places, bandits waited to rob or to kill travelers.
Sometimes, the desert was very hot. At other times, it was cold.

7. What were some famous places along the Silk Road?
Outside of the Mogao Caves today
1. An important place on the Silk Road was the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas (the Mogao Caves). This was one of the Silk Road’s most sacred sites. At the caves, travelers prayed for good luck during their trip.
Samarkand
2. Samarkand was in the middle of the journey between China and Europe. It had lots of water, lovely gardens, and rich fields.

8. Who is a famous person known for traveling the Silk Road?
A Famous Traveler
Statue of Marco Polo in Mongolia
Marco Polo was one of the greatest travelers on the Silk Road.
Who is a famous person known for traveling the Silk Road?
Marco Polo
He traveled from Italy to China and back again. Marco Polo wrote a book about his amazing travels.

9. The End of the Road and Rebuilding
What happened to the Silk Road over time?
After the tenth century, travelers slowly stopped using the Silk Road.
A compass and map
An ancient ship
Some countries are now planning to rebuild the road. Will the new Silk Road look like this?
Why did travelers stop using the Silk Road?
Ships became a safer and quicker way to travel.

10. Vocabulary bandit n. Buddha n. a robber who belongs to a gang
the founder of the religion of Buddhism

11. Vocabulary camel n. cave n.
an animal with a long neck and one or two humps on its back
cave n.
a natural underground room in a hill or cliff

12. Vocabulary handicrafts n. oasis n. things made by hands
an area in the desert where there is water and where plants grow

13. Vocabulary pray v. silk n.
to speak to God or a god in order to show your feelings or ask for something
silk n.
material made from silk worms