Test 3 - Spice Unit Geography

Gansu Corridor

"historical route in Gansu province of China. As part of the Northern Silk Road running northwest from the bank of the Yellow River, it was the most important route from North China to the Tarim Basin and Central Asia for traders and the military" Wikipedia

Khyber Pass

"mountain pass connecting the Pakistani town of Landi Kotal, near the Afghanistan border, to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing part of the Spin Ghar mountains. An integral part of the ancient Silk Road, it has long had substantial cultural, economic, and geopolitical significance for Eurasian trade. Throughout history it has been an important trade route between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent and a strategic military location." Wikipedia

Java

Indonesian island; processed used metal at time of Intan Shipwreck and thought to be first foreign area to acquire cloves.

Malacca

Malaysian state near Strait of Malacca (where Spice Islands were.) Conquered by Portuguese.

East Indies

South and Southeast Asia

Grain Coast

also called the Pepper Coast, coastal area of West Africa with lots of pepper. Pepper = Grain of Paradise

West Indies

area running from Florida westward along the Gulf Coast, and then south along the Mexican coast through Central America and then eastward across the northern coast of South America. (Wikipedia)

Suez Canal

artificial sea waterway in Egypt connecting Mediterranean and Red Seas. Shorter route to the East from the West.

Beijing

capital of China. Important Chinese trading hub, located on Silk Road.

Cairo

capital of Egypt. Huge role in spice trade.

Delhi

capital of India, served as capital for many Indian conquerors over the centuries.

Manilla

capital of Philippines. Created by the Conquistadors and key trading center.

Rome

capital of Roman Empire. Key importer of many spices like cloves, cinnamon, etc. for the emperor.

Hong Kong

city in China. Important harbor and trading port.

Canton/Guangzhou

city in China. Once an important Yuan port to export goods. Located on the Silk Road.

Calicut

city in India. Once called "City of Spices", it played a big role in the trade of cardamom, black pepper, etc. spices.

Venice

city in Italy. Key player in the trade of black pepper as a major trading center and price levyer.

Swahili Coast

coast off Southeast Africa which participated in a lot of trade throughout the Indian Ocean. Exports from Europe and Asia inclue cottons, silks, woolens, glass and stone beads, metal wire, jewelry, sandalwood, cosmetics, fragrances, kohl, rice, spices, coffee, tea, other foods and flavorings, teak, iron and brass fittings, sailcloth, pottery, porcelain, silver, brass, glass, paper, paints, ink, carved wood, books, carved chests, arms, ammunition, gunpowder, swords and daggers, gold, silver, brass, bronze. Imports include tobacco, gold, copper, iron, domestic and field slaves.

Arakan Coast

coastal country which once traded with the Arabs. Center of piracy and commerce for Dutch East India Company and Portuguese.

Cape Town

costal city in South Africa. Located on Cape Route, the route Vasco da Gama took as the first European to find India by sea.

Cochin

first European colony before Goa (also Portuguese). Major seat of Portuguese India until Goa and major port city of India where Arab merchants would trade.

Goa

first Portuguese colony in India.

Golconda

fortress in Deccan regions, built by the Marathas to guard against the Mughals. At the time was the only place with diamond mines and still boasts of having 13 of the world's most famous diamonds.

Gulf of Siam (Thailand)

gulf in South China Sea. Fish.

Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

island near India. Where cinnamon originated and thus center of many monopolies and trade.

Zanzibar

island off of Africa. Still one of biggest clove exporters in world.

Malabar Coast

long narrow coastline of India, central trading center with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Jerusalem and the Arab world. Many ports, includes Calicut and Kochin. "During Ming China's treasure voyages in the early 15th century, Admiral Zheng He's fleet often landed at the Malabar Coast. Soon after, Vasco da Gama landed near Calicut in 1498, establishing a sea route between India and Europe." Wikipedia

Strait of Malacca

narrow stretch of water between Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. Main shipping lane between Indian and Pacific Ocean. Lots of piracy issues.

Wakhan Corridor

narrow strip of northeast Afghanistan. Historically used as trading route between Badakhshan and Yarkand.

The Horn of Africa

northeast African peninsula. Links to Middle East.

Skeleton Coast

northern part of Atlantic Ocean.

Gold Coast

now called Ghana, region of Gulf of Guinea in West Africa which was rich in gold and energy sources.

Calcutta

now called Kolkata. Capital of West Bengal,

Batavia

old capital city of Dutch East Indies, now Jakarta. Center of Dutch East India Company's Asian trading network, hosting monopolies on spices like nutmeg, black pepper, cloves and cinnamon, as well as cash crops like coffee, tea, cacao, tobacco, rubber, opium and sugar.

Yangzhou

old capital of China.

Macao

once Portuguese colony in Asia, was large part of Asian trade.

Run Island

one of the smallest of the Banda Islands (part of the Moluccas.) One of the exclusive islands on which nutmeg and mace were found.

Bengali Coast

otherwise known as the Bay of Bengal, coast of India. Important trading port.

Slave Coast

parts of West African coast with many African slaves traded during Atlantic slave trade. (Triangular Trade)

South China Sea

sea of Pacific Ocean. Includes Malacca Strait and China port cities. Important sea lane.

Java Sea

shallow sea on Sunda Shelf. Good fishing center.

Ivory Coast

sovereign state of Africa. Exports coffee and cacao.

Moluccas

string of islands known as Spice Islands. Origin of spices like nutmeg, cloves, etc.