History Flashcards
Silk Roads
What were the Silk Roads?
A network of trading routes between the Eastern and Western world.
How long were the Silk Roads used for?
Around 1500 years
When did the Silk Roads start and finish?
From 130 BC until 1463
How long were the Silk Roads?
Over 4000 miles
Who was the historian that wrote ‘The Silk Roads’?
Peter Frankopan
Why does Frankopan say that studying the past is important?
Because to understand the world of today you have to understand the world of yesterday
Who came up with the term Silk Roads?
Ferdinand von Richthofen
What were conditions like on the Silk Roads?
Roads were typically in poor condition. There were robbers, and people travelled in groups called caravans.
How did most trade take place on the Silk Roads?
From town to town between local communities
What animal was mostly commonly used to carry goods along the Silk Roads?
Camels
What made conditions along the trade routes difficult?
Heat, lack of water, regular sand storms
How is silk made?
From the cocoons of worms that eat mulberry leaves
Which country had a monopoly on silk production?
China
How did China try to keep control of the silk trade?
They banned the export of silkworms and their eggs to other countries
Give some examples of items traded other than silk
Any from: textiles, spices, grain, vegetables and fruit, animal hides, tools, wood work, metal work, religious objects, art work, precious stones
