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 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 –

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