1. Thesis Thursday Bellwork
On a half sheet of paper create a thesis in response the following prompt:
Analyze the attitudes and actions of Romans toward the emergence of Christianity as well as the responses of Christians toward various Roman attitudes and actions
Answer: THESIS ACTIVITY
Correct Answer: THESIS ACTIVITY

2. Objective
WWBAT: Discuss the development of the Silk Road and its impact

3. Interactive Notebook Set Up
10/27/2016
Ancient Silk Roads Notes
This will be one page

4. Political
Growth of the Silk Roads
Goods
Buddhism
Social
Disease

5. Today’s Class
Today we will be talking about one of the most important developments of the Ancient World
The Silk Road

6. Why Trade?
Different ecological zones = natural uneven distribution of goods and resources
Early monopolization of certain goods
Silk in China
Spices in Southeast Asia
I want what you have! Do you want what I have? Let’s trade!

7. Trade:
Long-distance trade developed between Asia, Africa, and Europe
This trade shaped these cultures and societies
Trade was mostly indirect
Chain of separate transactions
Goods traveled farther than merchants

8. The Silk Roads

9. Growth of the Silk Roads
Eurasia is often divided into inner and outer zones with different ecologies
Outer Eurasia = relatively warm and well-watered
China, India, Middle East, Mediterranean
Inner Eurasia = harsher, drier climate
Eastern Russia, Central Asia

10. Growth of the Silk Roads
As a result of this steppe products traded for agricultural products and manufactured goods from inner Eurasia
Birth of the Silk Roads trade network
Hides, furs, livestock, wool, amber, horses, saddles

11. Growth of The Silk Roads
Development of classical civilizations and empires added more major players to this trade network
Persian Empire, Greek Empire, Roman Empire, Han dynasty, Gupta Empire
Resulted in silk Roads continual growth

12. The Silk Roads: Goods
Most goods traded were luxury goods rather than staple goods
Mostly went to elite and wealthy markets
Only goods worth transporting with such high transportation costs were heavily traded

13. The Silk Roads: Goods Silk was major product in high demand
China had a silk monopoly until the 6th Century CE
After that time others gained knowledge of silk production
Increased the supply of silk along the Silk Roads

14. Silk Makes the World Go ‘Round(Goods)
Silk was used as currency in Central Asia
Silk was a status symbol in both China and the Byzantine Empire
Used in the expanding religions of Buddhism and Christianity
Ex: worn by Buddhist monks
Ex: silk altar covers in Christian churches

15. The Silk Roads: Goods
Silk is the most famous item of the Silk Roads, but there were other items traded heavily as well
Other heavily traded items included:
Indian Spices, Salt, Ivory, Dyes, precious stones, Craft goods, Animal skins/furs, ect.

16. The Silk Roads: Goods Volume of trade was actually fairly small
Social and economic impact of trade was very big however
Many peasant produced luxury goods instead of crops(Especially in China)
Merchants could make enormous profits
Merchant class cemented in societies

17. Significance of Trade: Social
Altered consumption of food in different regions
Ex: West Africans now able to get salt to flavor and preserve their food
Lead to greater dependency on traded goods, rather than self-prodcuing
People were making items for themselves less and less

18. Significance of Trade: Social
Traders/Merchants became their own social group
Sometimes viewed suspiciously --> why are they making money without making the goods?
Trading became a means of social mobility
Money = land = power and status

19. Significance of Trade: Social
Trade items were used by elites groups to distinguish themselves from commoners
Only they could afford luxury goods from far away like silk or ivory

20. Significance of Trade: Political
Controlling and taxing trade motivated the creation of states and kingdoms
Being able to collect taxes at major trading posts was VERY desirable
Groups would try to conquer major trading hubs to gain control of trade routes

21. Significance of Trade: Political
Wealth from trade sustained these states and kingdoms
This wealth also helped facilitated their growth and expanded spheres of influence
Empires wanted to get a bigger piece of the trading pie
Empires also improved infrastructure in their areas to encourage/make trading easier

23. What Else Was “Traded”? Religious ideas Technological innovations
Disease-bearing germs
Plants and animals

24. The Silk Roads: Buddhism
Major result of trade along the Silk Roads was the spread of Buddhism
Spread from India to Central & East Asia
Especially into China
Spread by Indian traders and Buddhist monks

25. The Silk Roads: Buddhism
Spread to oases cities in Central Asia
Voluntarily converted
Buddhism gave these small cities a link to the larger, wealthy, and prestigious civilization of India
Many of these cities became centers of learning and commerce
Buddhist temple in Dunhuang (an oases city)

26. The spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, 200 BCE – 400 CE

27. The Silk Roads: Buddhism
Spread due to the Silk Road lead to a transformation of Buddhism
Original faith shunned the material world
Now Buddhism filled with wealthy monks, elaborate and expensive monasteries, and so on
Buddhist monastery in China

28. The Silk Roads: Buddhism
Spread MAHAYANA Buddhism!
Buddha was a deity
Many were bodhisattvas which puts an emphasis on compassion

29. The Silk Roads: Diseases
Long-distance trade as resulted in areas seeing exposure to unfamiliar diseases
Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague
Limited data on this, but trends in demographics are reasonably clear

30. The Silk Roads: Disease
Athens ( BCE) = widespread epidemic; killed 25% of the army
Roman & Han Empires = measles and smallpox devastated both populations
Mediterranean World ( CE) = devastated by bubonic plague from India
Often lead to economic slowdown and slow move back to regional self-sufficiency

31. The Black Death
Spread due to the Mongol Empire’s unification of most of Eurasia (13th-14th centuries)
Could have been bubonic plague, anthrax, or collection of epidemic diseases
= killed 1/3 of European population
Similar death toll in China & parts of Islamic world