Trading Systems

Why do historians care about trade?

The Silk Road Trade routes that extended from China to the Middle East and Rome (4,000 miles) Helped the spread of Buddhism What was traded? (“heavenly horses”)

Expansive and lucrative – can be reached from Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Sailors used monsoon winds Connected to Silk Road Increase in slavery Spread of Islam Mostly controlled by Arab traders East African cities such as Mogadishu, Kilwa, Zanzibar, and Malindi participated extensively Indian Ocean trade

based on control of trade routes (gold and salt) Developed in the Sahel (where is that?) Domestication of the Camel had a great impact on Trans-Saharan trade Sub-Saharan Africa

The Sahel

Gold/Salt trade

Along the Niger river From 500 B.C.E to 500 C.E. the Bantu people spread their technology (iron), language, agricultural techniques, and culture throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa West Africa

Bantu Migrations

Eastern and Southern Africa Arab merchants gain control of East-African trade- (Red Sea to Indian Ocean) – Swahili- Mix of Arab and African languages In the South, Great Zimbabwe is a center of trade- strong connection with Indian Ocean traders Ethiopia remains Christian

Spread of Buddhism Spreads to China, then Korea, then Japan, then southeast Asia

Spread of Buddhism How did Buddhism Spread? Missionaries/monastic community (first) and Traders (later) helped to spread Buddhism across India to many parts of Asia (used silk roads) Two largest groups of Buddhists are the Mahayana and Theravada

Spread of Christianity Peter and Paul Missionary voyages

Byzantine empire Christianity spreads to Anatolia and Ethiopia