An in-depth summary of the 'Silk road". All the necessary information from the prescribed reader as well as lecture slide have been incorporated, thus providing you with a perfect set of notes for semester tests and exams.
Silk Road Connections
● The silk road is an ancient route network that spanned across Central Asia, from
China to Europe.
● Although it is also a website on the dark web for the sale of illegal drugs, false
passports, spyware, etc.
The Historic Silk Road
● Silk Road is about 6 437 km and gets the name from the trade of Chinese silk
between Europe and Asia.
○ Route of transmission dates to approximately the third century BCE until
the 14th century CE.
● Tangible goods like Silk, furs, exotic animals, plants, gold and silver and
intangible goods like people, ideas, philosophies and religions travelled between
east and west.
○ Important factor in development of civilizations in Central Asia, India,
China and the Middle East.
● The silk road is a network of caravan trails with oases, settlements and markets
scattered over two continents.
○ Seen as a highway for the trade of goods, the migration of people, the
transmission of languages and the exchange of ideas and culture
● Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan lobbied UNESCO to include a stretch of the silk road
on the list of world heritage sites (2014).
, ● Empires and nations such as India, Persia, China, Turkey and Tibet tried to
control the silk road routes.
○ Control meant economic and political dominance.
The Trans-Sahara Route: Connecting Africa to the silk
road
● The Trans-saharan route connects Africa to
Europe via the Mediterranean sea.
○ Connects Africa to the overland Silk
Road.
● Sahara= Desert in Arabic.
● Date the Trans-Saharan route to the arrival
of Islam in Africa in the 7th century CE (600s
Common era).
○ However, Greek writer Herodotus mentions the route in the 5th
century CE (400s).
● The Sahara is the largest desert in the world (3.5 million square miles).
○ Only 25% is covered by sand, the rest is dry, gravelly and rocky terrain.
○ There are Numerous oases spread throughout the desert
■ Oases are resting places with shade and water and they were
there for buying goods such as dates, copper and salt.
● Camels were the primary mode of transportation until the arrival of the
Europeans in the 15th century. (They then built railway networks).
● The Trans-Sahara route connected people and trade goods as well as religions,
philosophies and cultures.
● 2 of the most important commodities that went north to the Mediterranean from
sub-Saharan Africa were gold, slaves and ivory.
○ In turn Europe traded cloth, glassware, arms, ceramic and salt.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller erinpoly1. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.48. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
