History Flashcards
Silk Roads (35 cards)
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
Where and when was Alexander the Great crowned?
Pella, in 336 BC
Which city did Alexander’s army burn to the ground in 335 BC?
Thebes
How did Alexander take control of the city of Sardis?
He arranged a diplomatic surrender of the city, saving many lives in the process
What did Alexander do after he captured the city of Tyre?
He burnt it to the ground in a rage
What did Alexander name the city he built in Egypt?
Alexandria
What did Alexander do after he took control of Babylon?
Alexander moved his capital city to Babylon and began accepting many Persian ideas as his own
When did Alexander the Great’s reign end?
323 BC
How did Genghis Khan rise to power?
He formed strategic alliances with other leaders and was a talented military strategist
What did Genghis Khan believe about people who resisted Mongol rule?
They were resisting the sky god Tengri and had to die
