The Name• The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative

Chinese silk trade along it, which began during the Han Dynasty

• It refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world.

• As well as parts of North and East Africa. Extending 4,000 miles

The Silk Route

Map of the Silk Road - Route in red (later ocean routes in blue)

These trade routes covered over 4,000 miles and all in all it was a difficult journey.

Traders had to go over mountains, deserts, warlord territories, and deserted grasslands.

Bandits often attacked and robbed merchants traveling in small groups or by themselves.

Dangers facing travelers

Dangerous trails• They had to deal with falling off of tall mountain

trails into raging rivers below, dry desert sand storms, and prevailing winds.

Steep Steppes

• In geography, steppes, refers to a region characterized by grassland plains without trees except near rivers and lakes

• A vast region stretching from the western borders of of Hungary to the eastern border of Mongolia

• The people of the steppes of the North were constantly invading on horseback.

The Desert

• The Taklamakan Desert to the North was harsh and very hard to travel through.

• It is thought that the name comes from the word “tark” meaning to be left alone or abandoned and “makan” which means place.

• Stories define it as an area that means "go in and you will never come out"

The Safety of an Oasis

• An oasis is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source.

• Oases also provide habitat for animals and even humans if the area is big enough.

• The location of oases has been of critical importance for trade and transportation routes in desert areas.

• Caravans must travel via oases so that supplies of water and food can be replenished.

• Political or military control of an oasis has in many cases meant control of trade on a particular route

Caravans• Different caravans carried goods during different sections, with traders coming from the west exchanging thing like gold, wool, horses or jadefor silk coming from the east. The caravans stopped at fortresses and oases along the way, passing their loads from trader to trader, with each transactionincreasing the price as the traders took their cut.

• Few people traveled the Silk Road from one end to the other. Many were simple traders who took goods from one town or oases to the next and then returned home, or they were horsemen who earned an income from trading and transporting goods between settled towns.

What was traded?

The “Goods” or items sold

• The Chinese: • Silk, tea, salt, sugar, porcelain, and spices.

• Indians: • spices, gems, pepper, ivory, pearls, muslin

• Romans: • Iron, gold, wine, olive oil, grain, linen

Trade Effects Culture

• The Silk Road was a conduit for ideas, technology and culture as well as trade. Innovations introduced to Europe from China included playing cards, porcelain, art motifs, styles of furniture, paper money, printing and gunpowder.

• The Silk Road also facilitated the transmission from one culture to another of music and dance, language, written scripts, and artistic and craft styles.

Civilization or Culture

• Civilization: In a classical context, people were called "civilized" to set them apart from barbarians, savages, and

primitive peoples.

• Culture: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.

New Ideas• People of different religions met and

exchanged ideas. Christian priests, Muslim imams, Buddhist monks, and Hindus all came together.

• Technologies and inventions were shared as well.

• Paper making, glass blowing, and stirrups are just a few examples.

The Spread of Buddhism

Han dynasty Emperor Ming, was intrigued when he first heard of Buddhism.

He had a dream in which a golden figure floated in a halo of light (perhaps a Buddhist ghost).

He sent an envoy to India, who returned with sacred Buddhist texts (teachings) and paintings.

Indian practitioners also returned to explain the teaching of the Buddha to the Emperor.

Through this, the Buddhist religion spread rapidly along the Silk Road.

Why is trade important?

As you can see, there are many benefits here are a few.

Business (money)Cultural (religion, art, technology, thought)Technology (use of metals and weapons,

horsemanship, the use of paper, glass blowing, and cooking)

Outward thinking (global awareness)

Your assignment• You will be given one benefit of trade. • Make a T-chart to compare and contrast

that idea. • So on one side you have the benefit and on

the other side you have the negative effect of trade.

• When time is up, we will post them up front• Turn it in when you are done. Thank you