Unit 2: Networks of Exchange (c. 1200–1450) Flashcards
Silk Roads
Overland trade network linking China to the Mediterranean. Facilitated exchange of silk, porcelain, paper, gunpowder, and religion (Buddhism, Islam).
Event: Under Mongol rule (Yuan Dynasty), the Silk Roads were safer and more active (Pax Mongolica).
📝 Use to show how trade and state power worked together to enable cultural and commercial exchange.
Caravanserai
Roadside inns along the Silk Roads where travelers could rest and trade. Helped merchants cover long distances safely.
Event: Hundreds were built under Mongol and Muslim patronage from Persia to China.
Samarkand
A wealthy trade city in Central Asia, known for Islamic architecture, scholarship, and paper-making. A crossroads for merchants and religions.
Event: Flourished under Timur (Tamerlane) and the Mongol Empire.
Kashgar
Strategic city where the northern and southern Silk Roads converged in western China. A center of Buddhist and later Islamic learning.
Event: A major trading hub under Tang and Yuan rule, declined after disruptions in the 15th century.
Bills of Exchange
Financial documents allowing merchants to deposit money in one location and withdraw it elsewhere. Reduced risk and boosted long-distance trade.
Event: Common in Islamic and European trade by the 13th century.
Paper Money
Issued by Chinese dynasties (especially Song and Yuan) to facilitate commerce. Replaced bulky metal coins.
Event: Introduced under the Song Dynasty and standardized under the Yuan (Mongol) rulers.
📝 Use to show state-sponsored economic innovation.
Pax Mongolica
(c. 1250–1350)
“Mongol Peace” — a period of stability and safety across Eurasia due to Mongol governance. Trade, travel, and diplomacy flourished.
Event: Enabled Marco Polo’s journey to China (1271–1295).
Mongol Empire
Largest contiguous land empire in history. Promoted trade, religious tolerance, and postal networks.
Event: Founded by Genghis Khan (1206); split into khanates after his death.
Trans-Saharan Trade
Trade routes crossing the Sahara, linking West Africa to the Islamic world. Main goods: gold, salt, ivory, and enslaved people.
Event: Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca (1324) spread wealth and Islam
Camel Saddles
Innovations in saddle design made camels more efficient for desert trade. Increased trade volumes and allowed the growth of empires like Mali.
Mali Empire
A wealthy West African empire known for gold trade, Islamic learning, and cities like Timbuktu.
Event: Mansa Musa (r. 1312–1337) boosted Mali’s fame and connected it to the Islamic world.
Timbuktu
Cultural and intellectual hub in West Africa. Contained madrasas (Islamic schools) and libraries.
Event: Grew during the Mali and Songhai Empires through trade and pilgrimage
Indian Ocean Trade Network
A vast maritime system linking East Africa, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and China. Traded bulk goods like cotton, spices, timber, ivory, and slaves.
Event: Thrived under Muslim merchant dominance, especially from 1000–1500
Monsoon Winds
Seasonal winds that enabled predictable travel across the Indian Ocean. Merchants had to stay for months waiting for return winds — leading to diaspora communities.
Event: Fostered Arab and Gujarati settlements in Southeast Asia and East Africa.
Dhow Ships
Arab sailing vessels using lateen (triangular) sails, ideal for monsoon wind navigation in the Indian Ocean.
Event: Used by Swahili, Arab, and Indian merchants for centuries
Junks
Large Chinese ships with multiple sails and compartments. Used for long-distance trade and official voyages.
Event: Deployed during Zheng He’s expeditions (1405–1433).
Zheng He
A Chinese Muslim admiral who led seven massive expeditions across the Indian Ocean under the Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese prestige and collect tribute.
Event: Visited East Africa, Arabia, India, and Southeast Asia — returned with exotic goods and animals.
📝 Use to show state-sponsored maritime trade and diplomacy.
Diasporic Merchant Communities
Groups of foreign merchants who settled abroad and maintained cultural practices. Created centers of cross-cultural exchange.
Event: Arab merchants in East Africa, Chinese in Southeast Asia, Jews in India.
Swahili City-States
Independent coastal trading ports in East Africa. Blended Bantu and Islamic cultures.
Event: Cities like Kilwa and Mombasa thrived in Indian Ocean trade from 1000–1500.
Spread of Buddhism through Trade
Buddhism spread from India to East and Southeast Asia via the Silk Roads and maritime routes. Adapted into Mahayana and Theravada forms.
Event: Buddhist temples appeared in China, Korea, and Japan by 1200
