Silk Roads
A system of ancient caravan routes across Central Asia, along which traders carried silk and other trade goods; known for spreading religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam as well as technological transfers and diseases like the Bubonic plague
Indian Ocean Trade
connected to Europe, Africa, South Asia, and China.; worlds richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion, spread of goods, ideas
Trans-Saharan Trade
route across the Sahara Desert; traded for gold and salt, created caravan routes, economic benefit for controlling dessert, camels and camel saddles were crucial in the development of these trade networks; facilitated the spread of Islam
magnetic compass
Chinese invention that aided navigation by showing which direction was north
rudder
Steering device, usually a vertical blade attached to a post at, or near, the stern of the boat; improved sea trade
junk ship
A very large flat-bottom sailing ship produced in the Tang and Song Empires, specially designed for long-distance commercial travel and participation in the tribute system
Kashgar
Also known as Kashi, a central trading point at which the western and the eastern Silk Road met; It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with modern day Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.
Samarkand
During the rule of Timur Lane was the most influential capital city, a wealthy trading center known for decorated mosques and tombs; a key trading city along the Silk Roads
paper money
legal currency issued on paper; it developed in China as a convenient alternative to metal coins; facilitated trade
Caravanserai
an inn with a central courtyard for travelers in the desert regions of Asia or North Africa; allowed caravans and their camels to rest in a protected environment, encouraging trade
Hanseatic League
an organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance; facilitated trade and commercial growth in the 1200-1450 time period
porcelain
a thin, beautiful pottery invented in China
monsoon winds
seasonal wind in India, the winter monsoon brings hot, dry weather and the summer monsoon brings rain
Spice Islands
Europeans' name for the Moluccas, islands rich in cloves and nutmeg - highly valued spices often traded in the Indian Ocean trade network
diaspora
A dispersion of people from their homeland; merchant communities of Muslim spread Islam throughout Southeast Asia
Dhow Ships
Arab sailing vessels with triangular or lateen sails; strongly influenced European ship design; facilitated trade in the Indian Ocean networks
Mansa Musa
Ruler of Mali (r. 1312-1337). His extravagant pilgrimage through Egypt to Mecca in 1324-1325 established the empire's reputation for wealth in the Mediterranean world.
Timbuktu
Mali trading city that became a center of wealth and learning thanks to its location in the trans-Saharan trade networks; universities, mosques, and libraries
Camel Saddle
An invention which gives camel riders more stability on the animal and its invention and basic idea traveled along the Trans-Saharan Caravan Trade Route. Invented somewhere between 500 and 100 BCE by Bedouin tribes.
caravan
group of traveling merchants and animals
Sundiata
the founder of Mali empire. He crushed his enemies and won control of the gold trade routes along the trans-Saharan trade networks
Khan
Name for a Mongol ruler
Khanates
Four regional Mongol kingdoms that arose following the death of Ghengis Khan.
Pax Mongolica
The period of approximately 150 years of relative peace and stability created by the Mongol Empire.
Golden Horde
Mongol khanate founded by Genghis Khan's. It was based in southern Russia and quickly adopted both the Turkic language and Islam.
Il-Khanate
Mongol empire that ruled over Iran (Persia) & the Middle East
Yuan Dynasty
(1279-1368 CE) The dynasty with Mongol rule in China; centralized with bureaucracy but structure is different: Mongols on top->Persian bureaucrats->Chinese bureaucrats; did not emphasize Confucianism and the civil service exams
Bubonic Plague
Also called the Black Death; the deadly disease that spread through Asia and Europe and killed more than a third of the population in some areas; hit Europe (peak 1347-1351) especially hard due to unsanitary living conditions and overcrowded cities; spread thanks to increased trade along the Silk Roads
Gunpowder
Invented within China during the 9th century, this substance was became the dominate military technology used to expand European and Asian empires by the 15th century; spread from East to West via trade networks like the Silk Roads and help from the Pax Mongolica
Ibn Battuta
(1304-1369) Moroccan Muslim scholar, the most widely traveled individual of his time. He wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and the western Sudan. His writings gave a glimpse into the world of that time period.
Marco Polo
(1254-1324) Italian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period.
Margery Kempe
Wrote the Book of Margery Kempe - considered the 1st autobiography in the English language. Chronicles her pilgrimages to holy sites in Europe and Asia. Claimed to have vision that called her to leave the vanities of the world
Swahili city-states
City coasts that actively participated in Indian Ocean trade along the East coast of the African continent
Zheng He
(1371-1433?) Chinese Ming Dynasty naval explorer who sailed along most of the coast of Asia, Japan, and half way down the east coast of Africa before his death; facilitated China's role in the tribute system in the Indian Ocean trade network