1. The Silk Road and Great Wall

2. The Silk Road
BrainPop Video: Silk Road
Silk Road- A 4,000 mile trade route that linked China to the civilizations of the west
India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, and Greece
Considered to be the world’s first “highway” that linked the ancient civilizations

4. Trading
The Silk Road first began around 200 BCE during the Han Dynasty
China produced silk and traded for goods from different civilizations
Jewelry
Cotton
Fruits
Video: How silk is made

5. Cultural Diffusion
Not only did people trade goods, people spread knowledge and ideas to other parts of the world
Religions
Buddhism
Islam
Innovations
Math
Philosophy
This is the first time in history that people from different places around the world are interacting with each other
What else did they trade or share?

6. The Great Wall of China
BrainPop Video: The Great Wall of China
Wandering tribes (nomads) living to the north threatened China and the Silk Road
The Great Wall is a series of many walls designed to protect China and the Silk Road from the Mongols and Huns
Over 3000 miles long

7. The Great Wall is not just one wall
The Great Wall is not just one wall. It was built in many different parts over the span of 2,000 years

8. The Great Wall wasn’t just a wall
The Great Wall wasn’t just a wall. It was a series of barriers and watchtowers
The Chinese soldiers could see enemies approaching from far away and then prepare to defend the wall
They could communicate with each other by using smoke signals

9. In the 1600s, construction of the wall stopped because there wasn’t really anybody else to keep out
Today many parts of the Great Wall still stand. It is one of the most popular sites to visit in the world