Chapter 7: Network of Communications and Exchange

Warm Up

1. Couple sentences explaining the caste system in Ancient India and why it works:

• I. Silk Road– A. Origins and Operations– Silk road was an overland route linking China and

the Mediterranean– Mesopotamia, Iran, and Central Asia were

involved in the trade along the Silk Road– Heavy use of silk road was 150 BCE – 907 CE– China desired horses, medicine, metals, and

precious stones– China exported: peaches, apricots, spices, silk,

pottery, and paper

– B. Sasanid Empire, 224-600– 224 CE Sasanid Empire arises in Iran and

Mesopotamia– Sasanid Empire’s religion is based on the ancient

Iran religion: Zoroastrianism– Byzantine Empire’s religion is based on Christianity

(Roman empire late religion)– People in these empires will not id themselves

from the city but by their religion

– C. Impact of the Silk Road– Military technology traded included the saddle

and the stirrup – Camels are going to be the beasts of burden for

the Silk Road trade (caravan trade)

• II. The Indian Ocean Maritime System– A. Impact of Indian Ocean Trade– Traded goods included: spices, pearls, pottery,

luxury goods– Mediterranean Sea still dominated trade during

this time period– Women in the sea ports were seen as mediators

between traders

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFo3SxqH2-A&feature=channel

• III. Routes across the Sahara– A. Early Saharan Cultures– Domestication of camels in Africa helped with

trade across the Sahara desert– This and the invention of the saddle lead to trade

in Africa– People can now travel across the Sahara desert

and trade– B. Trade across the Sahara – Goods traded include salt,

copper, and gold

• IV. Sub-Saharan Africa– A. Challenging Geography– Tropical savannah, rain forest, desert, and steppe– Like India, Africa is very diverse geographically– B. Development of Cultural Unity– No foreign power until WWI is able to conquer

Africa creating a sense of unity (too diverse)– C. Advent of Iron and the Bantu Migration– Iron working started in North Africa and continued

South for 300 years– Bantu people migrated from Nigeria to the east

and south spreading culture and technology

• V. Spread of Ideas– A. Ideas and Material Evidence– Coinage starts in the Mediterranean and spreads

to North Africa, India, and China– B. The Spread of Buddhism– Mauryan King Ashoka spread Buddhism

throughout his empire– Buddhism was also spread to China by monks– C. The Spread of Christianity– Christianity spread to North Africa and eventually

competes with Islam

• Social- Development and Transformation of social structures– Gender roles and relations– Family and kinship– Racial and ethnic constructions– Social and economic classes

• Political- State building, expansion and conflict– Political structures and forms of governance– Empires– Nations and Nationalism– Revolts and Revolutions– Regional, Transregional, and Global structures and organizations

• Interaction between humans and the environment– Deomography and disease– Migrations– Patterns of settlement– Technology

• Cultural- Development and interaction of cultures– Religions– Belief systems, philosophies and ideologies– Science and Technology– The Arts and Architecture

• Economic- Creation, expansion and interaction of economic systems– Agricultural and pastoral production– Trade and commerce– Labor systems– Industrialization– Capitalism and Socialism