Unit 2 APWH Written Responses
In the period 600 to 1450 c.e., trade networks expanded and economic productive capacity increased. Technological innovations and transfers often contributed to this process. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which technological innovations or transfers led to increased economic growth in this period.
**CONTEXTUALIZE AND ANALYSIS(explain both similarity and difference)**Technological innovations/transfers, such as the compass, the discovery of gunpowder, and the development of numerous saddles during the trans-Saharan Trade, had an important extent regarding the increase of economic growth during the period 600-1450 C.E. The compass allowed for traveling merchants to find their way during the Indian Ocean Trade. As waters were still uncharted, the advances in maritime technology which include the magnetic compass led to an increase of economic growth as it helped to speed up the trading process. It sped up the trading process because traveling merchants were able to find their way through the waters easier. With the discovery of gunpowder, it led to an increase in economic growth because of a similar reason. It increased trade and it became one of China's best exports at the time. With the discovery of gunpowder also came the discovery of fireworks and firearms. Not only did this discovery benefit exchange with certain regions, but it also benefited China within their community and culture. During the trans-Saharan Trade, camels were very often used. Because of the arid climate and the camels' adaptation to the climate, they were ideal for travel across the dry and hot desert. But, with the travel of camels across the desert came the need to carry more and more on their backs. The Somalis in Eastern Africa designed a saddle to carry 600 pounds. Along with the aforementioned technological innovations, this led to an increase in economic growth during this period because more and more goods were being traded across the Saharan Desert with the development of different saddles. Because of the developments in technology during the trans-Saharan Trade, over 700 years of wealth was brought to West African societies like Ghana and Mali which affected their economic growth because it allowed for their empire to expand and become powerful through trade with the assistance of these technological innovations.
During the period 1200-1450, powerful new empires, such as the Mongol Empire and the Mali Empire, emerged in Afro-Eurasia. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which the emergence of new empires and states affected networks of exchange in Eurasia compared to Africa in this period.
**CONTEXTUALIZE FIRST** The emergence of new empires and states, such as the Mongol Empire and the Mali Empire, has an important extent on the affected networks of exchange in Eurasia compared to Africa in the period 1200-1450. When the Mongol Empire grew, they were able to promote trade activity. They did this by protecting the merchants on the Silk Road. This increased the safety of the trade on the Road allowing merchants to trade. On top of this, the Mongol Empire was also accepting of people from different backgrounds and religions. This allowed for diversity and for more people to partake in the Silk Road trade. The protection of merchants on the Silk Road and the acceptance of different people affected the networks of exchange of Eurasia during this time because both of these reasons drew people more toward the Silk Roads as people found it safer and inclusive. At the same time, the trans-Saharan Trade in the Saharan Desert was occurring. In comparison to Africa, the networks of exchange in this particular trade area wasn't necessarily exclusive to people. However, it was more focused on the trade across the African region. The Mali Empire, which was located in Africa, prospered from the gold trade and the empire also taxed trade entering West Africa. This affected the networks of exchange because it allowed for the Mali Empire to have more power in the trade. The wealth of the Mali Empire grew tremendously. In comparison to Africa as a whole, it accumulated wealth to the region.
In the period circa 1200-1450, scientific and technological advances in Afro-Eurasia occurred both through new discoveries and through diffusion across cultures in areas of increased interconnections, such as the Silk Roads and the Mediterranean. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which cross-cultural connections were the leading factor behind scientific and/or technological advances in Afro-Eurasia during this period.
History has shown time and time again that technological and scientific advances have occurred over and over which has resulted in the bettering of human society. Different developments existed for different purposes. Overall, each development in science and technology has still advanced and changed the way humans functioned back then. Although some of the technological advancements were due to the cross-cultural connections, the connections were not as much of a leading factor as the trade networks/trade such as the trans-Saharan trade and the Silk Roads trade that promoted technological advances in Afro-Eurasia during the period 1200-1450. For example, during the trans-Saharan trade, saddles were developed as a result of the prosperous trade that had occurred. Cross-cultural connections occur everywhere, but trade had a more significant extent on this particular technological development. There were many different saddle prototypes that were developed during the period of this trade. However, one of the saddles that were developed because of the trade was a saddle with the ability to carry around 600 pounds. This development enabled a more efficient trade as merchants were able to carry more weight without having to stop as much. Camels could go longer distances due to their adaptation to the dry environment and the fact that they are able to carry their own water supply. The Indian Ocean trade also displays numerous technological and scientific advances. One, for example, being the development of lateen sails. The development of the lateen sails was not due to cross-cultural connections, but more on the emphasis on the rising trade. The technology of the lateen sails allowed merchants to catch winds on their ships coming from all different directions. This made trade easier because traveling merchants were able to get across the ocean with less hassle. The stern rudder was also developed in this trade which allowed merchants to maneuver throughout the ocean easier. Of course, technology and science advancements can occur through the diffusion across cultures. However, it was trade overall that promoted these developments and made them more significant.
In the period circa 1200 to 1450, imperial collapse and dynastic change occurred in many parts of the world. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which the decline of states led to cultural or social changes during this period.
On a more broader perspective, dynastic changes set the stage for numerous cultural/social diffusion events to occur. The changes impacted the people on a nationwide scale. Despite the shifting of states and dynasties like the fall of the Mongolian Empire or the emergence of different dynasties having somewhat an effect on the cultural or social changes during the period 1200-1450, it was the prosperous trade that occurred during the Indian Ocean trade which led to the creation of diasporic communities and the Pax Mongolica period over the Silk Road that had a stronger and more significant effect on cultural/social changes. The Indian Ocean trade had included many different technological developments which led to the prosperous trade that existed. For example, the development of lateen sails made it easier for merchants to travel and trade. The technology of the lateen sails allowed the merchants to travel across the oceans easier as the sails caught wind coming from all directions. This made it easier to trade because the seafarers spent less time on their maneuverability. Due to such prosperous and wealthy trade, the participating regions sometimes did not produce exports fast enough for exchange. This led to the different merchants waiting at the ports and undergoing the process of cultural diffusion because they not only shared their cultures, but the people around them also shared their cultures as well. As a result, we notice that African music, language, and overall culture was spread. During the Pax Mongolica, simply put, it was a period of peace during the era of the Silk Road. This particular period of peace was important because it allowed for cultural diffusion to occur which changed the cultures of the traveling merchants. The Mongol Empire spread peace on the Silk Road by keeping out bandits which increased the safety of the merchants along the route. The increased safety allowed for a more efficient exchange. This is important because cultural diffusion occurred which shows a significant cultural exchange during this period. Overall, trade had a more historical and a more significant impact on cultural and social changes as opposed to the shifting status of dynasties and imperial collapses.
a) Identify ONE specific historical example of a cultural exchange between nomads and non-nomads that occurred in the period before 1450. b) For the period 1450-1750 c.e., identify ONE development that changed the role that Central Asian nomads played in cross-regional exchanges as described in the passage. c) Explain ONE cross-cultural exchange that would challenge the assertion in the last sentence of the passage concerning the nomads' role in cross-regional exchanges before 1450.
a) cultural exchanges between nomands and non nomads included spread of stirrups and gunpowder b) decline of importance of silk roads changed role of central asian nomads c) spread of technologies like compass or papermaking challenges allsen's claim that nomads were chief promoters/agents of cultural exchange because papermaking spread from china
a) Identify ONE way that technological changes facilitated trade in the Indian Ocean in the period 1200-1450. b) Explain ONE way that trade in the Indian Ocean in the period 1200-1450 led to political change. c) Explain ONE way that trade in the Indian Ocean in the period 1200-1450 led to cultural change.
a) development of compass, increase use of astrolabe, larger and improved ship designs in indian ocean trade, better ships allowed larger amounts and reduced shipwrecks b) indian ocean trade influenced development of states because it allpowed the states to grow wealthier and expand in some cases c) indigenous communities' cultural traditions were influenced by other cultural traditions in diasporic merchant communities
a) Identify ONE way in which the spread of Buddhism in the period before 1450 C.E. illustrates a continuity in patterns of cultural diffusion. b) Explain ONE way in which the spread of Buddhism changed other Asian religious traditions in the period before 1450 C.E. c) Explain ONE way in which Buddhism changed as it spread across Asia.
a) development of syncretic faiths like zen buddhism which was a fusion of buddhist doctrines and daoist element traditions and the emergence of neo confucianism which fused daoism and buddhist ideas - each faith combined diff religions of diff cultures to create new ones b) gained popularity among chinese citizens - chinese leaders did not want native religions like taoism to fade, zen buddhism was apart of the change that occurred as a result of the spread of buddhism c) development of syncretic faiths or "branches" of buddhism - zen buddhism (fusion ofbuddhist doctrines and daoist element traditions) the change showed buddhisms spread across asia and neo confucianism (fused daoism and buddhist thoughts) also developed as a result of the spread of buddhism
a) Identify ONE continuity in the political system of China in the period 1200-1750. b) Identify ONE change in the political system of China in the period 1200-1750. c) Explain ONE way in which political continuities in China influenced the development of the global economy in the period 1200-1750.
a) governments followed dynastic cycle b) ming dynasty overthrew mongols c) stability and productivity encouraged growth of trade routes which connected china to other parts of afro eurasia
a) Identify ONE historical process in South or Southeast Asia that accounts for the religion of the Srivijaya merchants in Quanzhou, as reported in the passage. b) Explain ONE aspect of the economic development of China under the Song dynasty that led to the flourishing of commerce that is reflected in the passage. c) Explain ONE way in which the author's point of view, purpose, or intended audience may have influenced his assessment of the events described in the passage.
a) intensification of trade such as that of the indian ocean trade and silk road trade b) song dynastys high capacity for manufacturing - led to flourishing of commerce because it appealed merchants (developments during the manufacturing period include porcelaine gunpowder papermoney) c) he wanted to attract other merchants by saying its okay for them to come to quanzhou bceause a cemetery was ready for them - he is reassuring his audience
a) Identify the main argument made in the passage about Indian Ocean ports. b) Identify ONE factor that facilitated the regional trade in Calicut, as illustrated in the passage. c) Describe ONE similarity between the commercial interactions in the regions mentioned in the passage and commercial interactions along the overland Silk Roads in the period circa 1200-1450.
a) ports around indian ocean were culturally diverse b) monsoon winds - alRazzak was able to travel because of the winds c) both networks involved merchants from many regions - persia china gujarat arabian peninsula
a) Describe the historical situation in which Conrad of Megenberg wrote his book. b) Describe ONE argument that Conrad of Megenberg makes regarding the Jewish people and the spread of disease. c) Describe ONE way in which the disease referred to in the passage influenced the development of urban areas in the period 1350-1450.
a) the bubonic plague b) jewish people are not the cause of the general epidemic c) jews were driven out for nearly two years prior
In the period circa 1200-1450, commerce along exchange networks such as the Silk Roads, the Indian Ocean, and the trans-Saharan networks involved a number of new economic and commercial practices. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which developments in economic and/or commercial practices in Afro-Eurasia affected trade in this period.
thesis - · "The development of new forms of credit and the formation of cooperative commercial partnerships were the most significant factors in expanding trade in Afro-Eurasia in the period 1200-1450." contextualize - · "The Mongols established an empire that stretched from China to eastern Europe, giving them control of the Silk Roads and the ability to dictate terms of trade." evidence - banking, issuing bills of exchange, letters of credit, paper money uses evidence to support argument - · "The establishment of specific commercial infrastructure such as caravanserai, ports, and postal relay stations greatly facilitated trade along major trade routes during this period, by providing safe resting stations for merchants or speeding up written communications between traders living in different cities." historical reasoning - · Explaining how changes in trading patterns or volumes were influenced by the introduction of new economic practices. complexity - weave counterargument
