Unit 2 Test

Black Plague/Bubonic Plague

1347-1351; caused the death of 1/3 to ½ of the population of Europe; spread by infected fleas and along trade routes. Resulted in a labor shortage, the elimination of serfdom, and a decrease in the prestige of the Roman Catholic Church

Songhai

A people, language, kingdom, and empire in western Sudan in West Africa. At its height in the sixteenth century, the Muslim Empire stretched from the Atlantic to the land of the Hausa and was a major player in the trans-Saharan trade.

Silk Roads

A system of ancient caravan routes across Central Asia, along which traders carried silk and other trade goods. They traded things such as silk, spices, tea, ivory, cotton, wool, precious metals, and ideas.

Who would trade on the Trans-Saharan trade Networks?

Arab, African and Oriental traders were involved in the capture and transport of slaves northward across the Sahara desert and the Indian Ocean region into the Middle East, Persia and the Far east.

Indian Ocean Cultural Exchanges

As all trade networks did, the Indian Ocean trade fostered the exchange of ideas, such as Buddhism to Southeast Asia, and Islam across Eurasia.

Mali

Based it's trade on gold, was originally known as Ghana, expanded through conquest, all gold and wealth went to the king.

Why did Traders try to connect North and West Africa ( Trans Saharan Trade Routes )

Both regions had goods that the others wanted

Who would trade on the sea roads?

During the classical era (4th century BCE-3rd century CE), major empires involved in the Indian Ocean trade included the Achaemenid Empire in Persia (550-330 BCE), the Mauryan Empire in India (324-185 BCE), the Han Dynasty in China (202 BCE-220 CE), and the Roman Empire (33 BCE-476 CE) in the Mediterranean.

Mansa Musa

Emperor of the kingdom of Mali in Africa. He made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca and established trade routes to the Middle East. Some considered him to be the richest man to ever live.

Who would trade on the silk roads?

European, Persian, Chinese, Arab, Armenian, and Russian traders and missionaries traveled the Silk Road, and in 1335 a Mongol mission to the pope at Avignon suggested increased trade and cultural contacts.

Benefits of Indian Ocean Trade

It's much easier to carry huge quantities of high-demand goods (such as timber) on water than on a camel's back on land, therefore they were able to trade in bulk.

Benefits of the Silk Road

Opened new markets for Chinese production, allowed the connection of civilizations for trade and led to cultural diffusion

Antioch

The first community that included both Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus was established in this city.

Justinian Plague

The plague weakened the Byzantine Empire at a critical point, when Justinian's armies had nearly retaken all of Italy and the western Mediterranean coast; the evolving conquest would have reunited the core of the Western Roman Empire with the Eastern Roman Empire.

Negatives of the Silk Road

These Roads contributed a lot to the Black Plague. Bandits and thievery were a big problem as well. Bandits would raid merchant caravans and outposts, and often murdered the merchants as well, which made traveling the Silk Roads alone very dangerous.

Trans-Saharan Cultural Exchanges

These caravans carried goods such as silks and salt to the people of West Africa, which they in turn traded for things like gold, ivory and ebony. They would then trade these goods with the outside world. Along with trading goods, the Berbers also brought the faith of Islam to the region of West Africa.

Indian Ocean trade routes

These trade routes served as water-based counterparts to the silk roads and connected China, Southeast Asia,India, and the Middle East. Traders contributed to the spread of Buddhism and Hindu cults along these sea lanes. They traded things such as silk, porcelain, spices, incense, and ivory to inland empires, as well as Enslaved people.

Negatives of the Trans-Saharan Trade Route

Trade exposed west Africa to new diseases; There was fear and insecurity due to frequent raids on African settlements; Weakened African Communities - could not resist colonization; African lost confidence in their chiefs who sold them to slave dealers.

Benefits of Trans-Saharan Trade

provided strong motivation for the formation of large Sudan states and empires to protect traders and trade routes, which in turn brought in the necessary wealth to conduct wars of population and territorial expansion, to acquire horses and superior iron weaponry

Trans-Saharan Trade

route across the Sahara desert. Major trade route that traded for gold and salt, created caravan routes, economic benefit for controlling dessert, camels played a huge role in the trading. Gold remained the principal product in trade, followed by kola nuts and slaves.

Byzantium

the eastern portion of the Roman empire; lasted 1000 years after the fall of Western Rome

Silk Roads cultural exchanges

the route contributed to the spread of Islam, with many Arab Muslims travelling along the Silk Road to China in order to spread the Islamic faith. Additionally Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism and Nestorianism were all introduced to China and parts of India because of the Silk Roads influence.