1. The Powers of The Silk Road
Who is in charge here?

2. Agenda Outcome: Students will know who controlled
trade along the Sand and Silk Roads
To Get:
Handouts from the back shelf
Set of markers for your table – 5 colors
To Do:
Bell Ringer – Modern Trade
Lecture – Who Controlled the Sand and Silk Trade?
Empires and mapping
Explorer Videos
Exit Slip

3. Bellringer – look at your notes and use the image provided on the next slide.
1. What regions of the world dominate trade today?
2. Name two of the most common trade routes that catch your attention.
3. Look at the largest black dots on the map; these indicate the world’s largest ports for trade. Which ones are obvious and which ones surprise you?
4. What does NAFTA stand for and what does it mean?
5. Overall, why do countries go to such great lengths to create trade ties?

5. Can I speak to your manager?
When it comes to massive trade routes that cross through numerous countries, it is sometimes hard to figure out where the rules come from and who to complain to when things are not fair.
In the past, whichever country had the most powerful militarily and controlled the most land typically threw its weight around and made rules for everyone else to follow.
In the modern era, it is typically frowned upon for countries to force others to agree with them and trade at gunpoint.

6. What are these? NAFTA TPP MEFTI North American Free Trade Agreement
The world's largest free trade area. It covers Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It sets up a series of trade promises between the countries and in exchange they agree to not set tariffs on each other.
TPP
Trans Pacific Partnership
Collection of Pacific Countries including Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam (The USA withdrew). Its goal is to enhance trade and investment. It promotes innovation, economic growth, and development.
MEFTI
Middle Eastern Free Trade Area
Works with peaceful Middle Eastern countries to help them attain three goals. First, obtain membership in the World Trade Organization. Second, facilitate bilateral trade agreements. Third, help them enter into Trade and Investment Action Plans

7. Why go through all this work?
These large international trade agreements are MASSIVE and require a huge amount of work and trust between countries that everyone is going to act appropriately.
Most of the modern world agrees that hashing out these large trade plans is far better than the old world alternative of marching into countries with guns and fighting wars over economic territory.

8. Guided Notes and Map Work
Take notes on each region and then you will have 3 minutes to outline the empire, in control of trade for that region, on your map.
You will need FIVE different colored markers.
Create a key as you go to indicate which color represents which empire in control of trade in that region and time period.

9. The Mongol Empire Existed from about 1200-1368
The Mongols were a nomadic tribal group whose military might was based around their use of horses and cavalry.
The vast Mongol empire stretched from China to Europe, across which the Silk Routes functioned as efficient lines of communication as well as trade.
Protected under the so-called Pax Mongolica, the Routes were particularly safe from raiders or aggressive tribes in this period
They are mentioned in all three of the explorer videos.

10. Map Work - 1200-1368 You will need FIVE different colored markers.
Step One: Color the Mongol Empire on your blank map.
Create a key as you go to indicate which color represents which empire in control of trade.

11. The Delhi Sultanate Existed from 1206–1526 in Northern India
Over time was ruled by five different dynasties: Mamluk, Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and the Lodi
Protected trade routes of the Silk road leading to Delhi (where Marco Polo worked for a time)
One of the few world powers that were able to defend themselves from the Mongols

12. Map Work –1526
Please color the Delhi Sultanate on your map in India, below where you colored the Mongol Empire
(Their territory may overlap a little with the Mongols)

13. The Abbasid Caliphate
A powerful Islamic Empire that existed from 750–1258
They were based around what is today Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and much of Northern Africa
Baghdad became a centre of science, culture, philosophy and invention in what became known as the Golden Age of Islam
They managed and protected the trade routes throughout the Muslim world. Especially the pilgrimage roads to Mecca and Medina
Their empire collapsed when the Mongols sacked Baghdad in

14. Map Work - 750–1258
Please add the Abbasid Caliphate to your map.
It is located West of India and Southwest of the Mongols
(Their territory may overlap a little with the Mongols)

15. The Ming Dynasty
The last of the great Han Chinese Dynasties that lasted from 1368 to 1644
They took over in China after the Mongols began to lose control of their massive Asian empire.
They kept the Eastern sections of the Silk Road leading to Xi an safe (just like the Mongols and earlier Chinese Empires had done before them.
During this time the Ming also explored and traded on the oceans (Zheng He was a Ming official)

16. Map Work to 1644
Please add the Ming Dynasty to your map
It is located to the East of the Delhi Sultanate and Southeast of the Mongols
(Their territory may overlap a little with the Mongols)

17. The Byzantines
An ancient Empire centered around Constantinople that used to be part of the Roman Empire before it broke apart.
Existed from around 330 (When Constantinople was founded) - until 1453 (When Constantinople was conquered)
For hundreds of years they controlled the ports and cities that Europeans used to get to the Silk Road and trade with Asia
When Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans in , they ended trade with Asia, effectively ending the Silk Road

18. Map Work – 330-1450 Please add the Byzantine Empire to your map
It is located West of the Mongols and Northwest of the Abbasid Empire
(Their territory may overlap a little with the Mongols)

19. Great Explorers of the Sand and Silk Road
Using the provided videos fill in the chart of each explorer.
Pay close attention to the method and motivations for each explorer.

20. Zheng He

21. Ibn Battuta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1okjBhc3mw

22. Marco Polo

23. Exit Slip – on the back of your map
1. Who was the largest and most powerful empire to control the Silk Road?
2. Who were the smaller (and also very powerful) Empires who co-managed and or took over parts of the Silk Road from them?
3. What was the significance of these Empires to the Silk Road? Could one have existed without the other?