16 Trade Networks and the Mongol Era Free Online FlashCards

How were premodern trade networks organized?

They were overlapping land routes, sea lanes, rivers, and regional markets, not one continuous highway. Merchants usually traveled one section at a time.

Which regions did the Silk Roads connect?

The Silk Roads were changing overland routes linking China and Central Asia with South Asia, western Asia, and the Mediterranean.

How did trade routes help Buddhism spread to China?

Buddhist teachings traveled from India through Central Asia into China. Trade routes also carried Islam, Christianity, and other religious traditions.

Which regions did Indian Ocean commerce connect?

The Indian Ocean network linked East Africa, Arabia, the Persian Gulf, India, Southeast Asia, and China.

Which goods moved in opposite directions across the Sahara?

Camel caravans carried West African gold northward and Saharan salt southward between North African markets and the Sahel.

What was the Pax Mongolica?

Pax Mongolica refers to periods of relative stability under Mongol rule, when merchants, envoys, and religious travelers could move more readily across parts of Eurasia. Relay stations supported official travel and communication.

What was one harmful consequence of increased movement across Eurasia?

Greater movement along trade routes helped spread infectious disease, including the plague that devastated parts of Eurasia in the fourteenth century.

When did trade between China and regions farther west grow substantially?

Trade between China and regions farther west grew substantially during the Han era, beginning in the second century BCE.

Name several goods traded along the Silk Roads.

Merchants traded silk, ceramics, spices, metals, horses, glass, and paper. Goods often passed through many hands and markets, including Samarkand and Bukhara.

How did monsoon winds help Indian Ocean sailors?

Sailors used seasonal monsoon winds to cross the ocean and time their voyages.

What goods linked Kilwa to its Indian Ocean trade partners?

Kilwa traded with Arabia, India, and China. Gold and ivory from Africa’s interior were exchanged for goods such as ceramics, perfumes, and glassware.

What shaped the culture of Swahili city-states?

Swahili city-states combined local African traditions with influences from across the ocean. Islam became important in the region’s commercial and cultural life.