What else was "traded" (besides goods) along the major trade networks?
culture
People in inner Asia were unable to produce much of their own agriculture. What goods did they trade with their neighbors in order to get agricultural and manufactured products from them?
Hides, furs, livestock, wool, and amber
When did the Silk Road prosper most?
When large and powerful states provided security for merchants and travelers
These conditions prevailed during what 3 major historical time period/events
1) Second-wave era of Roman and Chinese Empires
2) 7th and 8th centuries: Byzantine Empire, Muslim Abbasid dynasty, and Tang dynasty
3) 13th and 14th centuries: Mongol Empire
Chinese products in Silk Road
silk, gunpowder, paper
Indian products in Silk Road
spices, precious stones, herbal medicine, ivory
Middle Eastern products in Silk Road
dates, nuts, swords, fruit
Mediterranean Basin products in Silk Road
Jewelry, gold coins, grapevines, artwork, perfume, olive oil
How did the Silk Roads affect the daily lives of CHinese farmers?
Rural women became major labor force in chinese textiles
What major cultural tradition spread due to the Silk Roads? In what form did it spread?
Buddhism spread through merchants
How did Buddhism change as it spread along the Silk Roads?
Went from shunning materialistic world to welcoming it- centers of rich, lavish temples
Roman Empire and Han dynasty diseases from Silk Roads
small pox and measles
Mediterranean coast diseases from Silk Roads
bubonic plague
European continent from Silk Roads
Black Death (combination of all diseases circling)
How did the Black Death impact Europe?
Up to half of European population died
How did Indian Ocean transportation costs differ from those of the Silk Roads? Why?
It was lower beacuse ships could accomodate larger and heavier cargoes easily
How did lowered cost of Sea Roads affect the types of goods traded throughout the Indian Ocean?
They carried more bulk goods
What made Indian Ocean commerce possible?
Monsoons
What 2 major transformations lay behind the flourishing of Indian Ocean commerce between 500 and 1500 CE?
1) understanding of monsoon winds
2)technology and knowledge advancements in shipbuilding and navigation
Chinese Products in Sea Roads
silk, porcelain, tea
Indian products in Sea Roads
grain, ivory, precious stones, spices, timber, tortoishells
Arabian products in Sea Roads
frankincense, myrrh, perfume
Mediterranean basin products in Sea Roads
ceramics, glassware, gold, olive oil,
Southeast Asian products in Sea Roads
tin, sandalwood, mace, nutmeg and cloves
East African products in Sea Roads
ivory, gold, slaves, tortoishells
Explain how the Malay kingdom of Srivijaya emerged
Malay sailors opened up an all sea-route between India and China through the Straight of Malacca and added ports along for travelers to trade and rest
What 3 major factors contributed to the continued growth of Srivijaya?
1) gold
2) access to highly-sought after spices
3) taxes levied on passing ships
How did the Srivijaya monarchs incorporate Buddhism within the kingdom?
Incorporated Buddhist religious concepts to politics, sponsored creation of images of Buddhas and budhosatuas. (became center)
Describe the Buddhist monument Borobudur in Java
Largest Buddhist monument in the world. It had distinctive Javan features.
What does the "Indianization" of Southeast Asia mean?
There was a voluntary borrowing of Indian culture and practices acquired from Sea Roads
Where was the Swahili civilization located?
Coast of Eastern Africa
The Swahili civilization consisted of many commercail city-states. Name 3
Lamu, Mombasa, Kilwa
Explain how the Swahili civilization resembled that of ancient Greece.
They were both a collection of city-states with no imperial power with a commonality of culture. They also had competition between city-states
Describe the social set-up of the Swahili civilization
Politically independent with a monarchy.
How does the Swahili language reflect cultural diffusion in this region?
It is a syncretic language of Bantu and Arabic roots
Who was Ibn Battuta? What did he discover on teh Swahili coast?
He was a widely traveled Arab scholar, merchant, and public official. He observed that Swahili was a Muslim society
How did Indian Ocean commerce affect areas in the interior of Africa (such as Great Zimbabwe), even though these areas didn't participate in this trade network?
They could now supply their resources to outer trading cities to make money
North African products in Sand Roads
cloth, glassware, weapons, books, manufactured goods
Saharan region products in Sand Roads
copper and salt
Savanna grassland products in Sand Roads
root and tree crops ( yam and kola nuts)
What made trans-Saharan trade possible?
camels (caravans)
Which products were most in demand in West Africa? Which products did they get in return?
Traded-gold
received- horses, cloth, dates, salt, manufactured goods
Describe the caravans that crossed the Sahara
They could be 5,000 camels or more with hundreds of people accompanying them, their journey around 70 days, traveling at night
How did trans-Saharan trade transform the political set up in West Africa?
Series of states, empires, and states were constructed from Atlantic Coast to Lake Chad to seize the opportunities of trade from the Sand Roads
Describe the West African kingdoms
Monarchies with elaborate court life and varying degrees of administrative complexity and military forces at disposal
What did West African kingdoms use slaves for? From where did they get these slaves?
-Women worked a domestic servants or concubines
-Men were state officials, porters, craftsmen, miners for salt, and agricultural laborers.
- Acquired from non-Islamic and stateless societies further south that were raided
Describe the cities (like Timbuktu) within West African kingdoms
Served as urban and commercial centers were traders congregated and exchanged goods. Also became centers for manufacturing
What did the Americas lack that prevented trade?
connectivity
How did the geographic and environmental differences throughout the Americas prevent trade?
They were too far apart which led to little interaction
Where were the most active and dense trade networks in the Americas?
Within the Mesoamerica and Andes regions
Describe economic exchange in the Andean Inca Empire
-state-run operation
- food, clothing, and construction materials were traded
-recorded in quipus by accountants
-transported by caravans of human porters and llamas through bridges and roads across empire.
In the centuries following the collapse of the Han dynasty, what transformation took place with China's population?
Political disunification and incorporation of nomads, AND southern migration
What effect did this have on China' s environment?
intense agriculture adopted 9nomads)- destroyed forests while the migration damaged land
How did the Sui dynasty reunify China?
vast extension of canal systems
What factors led to the overthrow of the Sui dynasty?
-ruthless emporers (not favored by public
- futile military campaign to conquer Korea exhausted resources (no mandate of heaven??)
What two dynasties followed the Sui dynasty?
1) Tang (618-907)
2) Song ( 960-1279)
Why are these centuries under the Tang and Song dynasties called the "golden age" of China?
Arts and literature were concentrated on, setting standards for excellence in poetry, landscape painting, and ceramics
Describe the bureaucratic set-up of China's government under the Tang and Song
There were 6 major ministries:
-personnel
-finance
-rites
-army
-justice
-public works
*Censorate oversaw government proceddings.
Describe the "economic revolution" of China at this time
Rapid growth of population, achievements in agricultural production, and trade led to massive economic growth
China became increasingly urbanized at this time, with very large cities. Describe Hangzhou, the capital city of the Song dynasty
-Home of more than a million people.
-specialized markets
-restaurants and inns
-schools (music,etc.)
-clubs for all types of people
-specialized agencies hosted elite dinner parties
China's iron industry began to flourish at this time. What various products was the iron used to make?
Suits of armor, arrowheads, coins, tools, construction, and bells for Buddhist monastaries
What were some other Chinese technological innovations at this time?
Printing of books - wood block and movable type
Navigation and shipbuilding
GUNPOWDER
What was the most compelling expression of tightening patriarchy in China during the Song dynasty?
foot binding
What changed with women's roles in the textile industry in China at this time?
With increasing commericalization, their roles were taken by men
What were some new economic opportunities for Chinese women at this time?
Operated restaurants, sold fish and vegetables, worked as maids, cooks, and dressmakers
OR concubines, entertainers, prostitutes, courtesans
What were some positive opportunities that arose for Chinese women during the Song dynasty?
Property rights were expanded- they could now control dowries and inherit property
-some more elite women's education
China's most enduring and intense interaction with foreigners has been with which group?
Northern nomads
How did the Chinese view these nomads to the north of them?
Barbarians, rude cultures with primitive life
Describe the Chinese tribute system
Set of practices required non-Chinese authorities to acknowledge Chinese superiority and go to court and perform the kontow (ritual bowing and prostrations) and presnet tribute to the emperor
How did the tribute system in practice differ from the ideal CHinese understanding of its operation?
When the nomads were powerful and at equal advantage, China chose to accept this and grant them "gifts" to keep them on their good side. This acted at the tribute system in reverse.
Besides the nomads to the north, what other Asian civilizations did China have relationships with?
Korea, Vietnam, and Japan
Although predominately independent politically, Korea adopted many elements of Chinese culture List 3
Buddhism, family life , women's role/patriarchy
What impact did the adoption of Chinese culture have on Korean women?
very negative impact, many of their rights were restricted
What did the Vietnamese, similar to Korea, adopt from the Chinese Culture?
Buddhism and tributary system
Unlike Korea, Vietnam was politically dominated by China for over 1000 years. During this time, what Chinese elements were forced upon the Vietnamese?
Irrigation, language in busineess, Confucianism, and Chinese clothing and hair
What uniquely Vietnamese cultural elements did the Vietnamese retain?
language, cockfighting, chewing betel nuts, greater role for women
Unlike Korea and Vietnam, under what terms did Japan adopt Chinese cultural elements?
voluntary
What accounts for this difference?
physical seperation
List some cultural elements that Japan chose to adopt from China
Chinese style emperors, encouraged Buddhism and Confucianism, calendar, court rituals and rankings, taxation system, law codes, government ministries, provincial administration
What are samuri? What is the bushido?
-warrior class
-code of Samuri and distinctive set of values and rules
What are Japanese kami?
sacred spirits associated with human ancestors and various natural phenomena
Describe the Japanese court life during the Heian period
esthetic culture- all about costume, cermony, etc.
(slacked on authority)
What positive occurences took place worldwide as a result of Chinese papermaking and printing?
mass literacy, bureaucracy, scholarship, spread of religion, and exchange of information
What was the "gunpowder revolution"?
After gunpowder was created, it stimulated technological innovations and improvements all around the world
Why was Buddhism initially rejected in China?
It was the opposite of Confucianism in the Han dynasty
What change occurred that allowed Buddhism to take hold in China?
collapse of Han dynasty - discredited Confucianism
What did Buddhist monostaries offer that attracted even more followers?
travelers were accomodated , desperate people received charity, sick were treated, children taught to read
What is "Pure Land School" Buddhism?
Type of Buddhism that ensured rebirth in beautifully described heavenly realm (Pure Land) emphasis that salvation by faith without intense study or meditation
As Buddhism gained popularity, what were some major criticisms of it?
-state envied enormous wealth
-had offensive foreign origin
-celibacy of monks violated Confucian family system
What did the Chinese imperial decrees between 841 and 845 state?
-ordered 260,000 monks and nun to return to normal life as tax-paying citizens
-thousands of monostaries, temples, and shrines were either destroyed or put to public use
-state confiscated valuable items from them