Trade Routes 1200-1450
Trans- Saharan Routes
Indian Ocean Routes
Silk Road-
Lilly Culbert
Kashgar: Kashgar was a large trading city in China (Uygar). They traded silk, gold, and gemstones 
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Bills Of Exchange: Bills of exchange is where one gives a written order for a payment, which was introduced and much used on the silk road.
- extended from Sub Saharan Africa Kingdoms across the desert of Europe
- helped create a stable trade between Africa and Europe
- hot and arid climate (not good for agriculture)
Samarkand: Located in Central Asia, Samarkand was a central point of trade across the region, being very important on the silk road as a trading center. Merchants from Samarkand traded precious metals, spices, and cloth.
City States
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- the use of camels as a mode of transportation was vital to the export of goods
- the use of camel saddles flattened the camel's hump making it easier to ride and transport goods
- After the Ghana Empire fell the Islamic Mali empire rose and took control of the trade routes.
- Mali took away the restrictions for the distribution of gold
Banking Houses: Banking was introduced due to long-distance trade (on the silk road), which caused the creation of banking houses. These were houses where banking was collected and overall done.
Paper Money: Paper currency was a by-product of Chinese block printing. The trend slowly spread as trade grew and became a common currency on the silk road.
Sultinate of Malacca
- Malay sultinate centered in modern day state of Malacca, founded in 1400
- Malindi
- Mombasa
- Magadishu
- Sofala
- Kilwa
founded by Mala Raja, aka Iskandar Shah
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Buddhism: Buddhism spread across Afro-Eurasia due to the appeal of it to merchants traveling the silk road. Many cities in Central Asia took to Buddhism
Disease: Before the silk road, many civilizations were isolated. This allowed them to become immune and find ways to deal with the diseases they faced. But once people started conversing with others from different places, diseases spread. Smallpox and the measles devasted the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty. The most well-known example of devastation trading can have is the bubonic plague. It traveled from black rats from India back to Europe, which killed half of the population. This did have its benefits and downfalls. Tenant farmers and urban workers could demand higher wages and better terms due to there not being many people to work the lands (food was in high demand due to this). Nobles who owned land took a hit due to them not getting any gain, the profit they once made dwindled.
The silk road connected outer and inner Eurasia, starting a new era of trade. This had many effects on the world. It caused the self-sufficient civilizations to slowly become more dependable on others. It shaped culture, political life, innovations, etc.
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- Caravans: groups of traders that traveled together over the long trade routes
- camel caravans carried many valuable goods such as ivory, gold, Kola nuts, iron tools, spices, slaves, and salt
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- Commercial connections spread Indian ideas beliefs
- Indian political ideals such as Karma were used in government
- many Buddhist religious ideals were used
- Hindu and Buddhist monuments were built everywhere.
- the innovation of land transportation increase trade allowing empires to grow
- taxes on merchants gave civilizations money to build governments and religious temples
- new people from all over were able to share knowledge and beliefs
- Muslim merchants spread Islam thoroughly through out Sub Saharan Africa
- Sub Saharan Africa: grain crops and Kola nuts
- Sahara Copper: salt and dates
- North African Coast: cloth, glassware, weapons
- West Africa: metal goods, cotton textiles, gold
- the interactions between traders in caravansaries helped with the innovations of previously existing ideas.
- the commerce that went on is the caravansaries helped the spread of many religions and goods happen a lot quicker
Kate Karpinski
Gujarat
- a region located in India on west coast
- before 13th century, there were barely any Muslims in Gujarat
- taken over by Delhi Sultanate around 1297
Islam: the religion of all Muslims, a monotheistic faith revealed through Muhammad as the prophet of Allah