The Silk Roads and Maritime Trade Networks

The period from 1200-1450 saw significant expansion of global trade networks. The Silk Roads connected China with Europe and North Africa, primarily trading luxury goods like silk, which had been produced in China since 3000 BCE.

Highlight: The Silk Roads were instrumental in spreading both goods and ideas across continents.

Example: Buddhist merchants helped spread their religion along trade routes, leading to the evolution of Mahayana Buddhism where Buddha became deified.

Definition: Mahayana Buddhism represents a major branch of Buddhism emphasizing the path to enlightenment through compassion and the accessibility of Buddha nature to all beings.

The Indian Ocean trade network connected China to East Africa through maritime routes, facilitated by predictable monsoon winds.

Vocabulary: Diasporic communities were established merchant settlements that introduced their cultures to new regions.

Quote: "Maritime innovations including the magnetic compass, astrolabe, and Chinese Junks revolutionized sea travel."

The Trans-Saharan trade routes connected North Africa with the Mediterranean, while the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan created unprecedented connectivity across Eurasia through conquest and administration of vast territories.

Highlight: The Mongol Empire's religious tolerance and incorporation of conquered peoples' systems contributed to their successful administration of diverse territories.