World Trade Networks: The Silk Road & Africa

1. World Trade Networks:The Silk Road & Africa

2. The Silk Road • Linked China & the Mediterranean World 150-907 & 13th-17th Century • Started by Chinese demand for Western Imports • Horses, Alfalfa, Metals, Precious Stones • Chinese Exports • Peaches, Apricots, Spices, Silk, Pottery, • Helped Spread Religion & Technology • Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Islam • Military tech = the stirrup

3. The Sasanid Empire 224-600 • Conflict & Peace with the Byzantines • Peace time = Trade Flourished • War = Religious motivated (Christianity v. Zoroastrianism) • Camel Saddle = Control of caravan trade • Sasanid Culture • Silk Road Trade w/India & China • Zoroastrianism official religion (intolerant) • Religion = Citizenship, language, & ethnicity

4. Indian Ocean Maritime System • Isolated from inland populations • West = No access to large inland populations = lack of customers • East = Larger pop. But not oriented towards the sea • Traders & Sailors married local women • Women = Mediators between cultures

5. Saharan Africa • Early Saharan Cultures • Hunting / Cattle Breeders / Horse Herders • Camels introduction = trade, travel, and contact between the people of the Northern & Southern Sahara • Trade Across the Sahara • Southern Sahara = access to desert salt deposits • Northern Sahara = exported agricultural products / wild animals • Berbers & Nomadic Trade = Copper/Goods for gold

6. Sub Saharan Africa • Development of Cultural Unity • No “great” tradition instead “small” • Highly diverse (2000 languages) due to different food productions, ecology, lack of communication = No dominant power • African Cultural Common Characteristics • Kingship • Hoe/Digging Stick • Music / Dancing / Rituals • Spread of Ideas • Bantu Migration (proto-Bantu) • Iron Tools • Farming methods