Post-Classical OverviewTrade

How Trade is growing all over the world

● Key places grow along the trade routes○ Muslims → Indian Ocean○ Chinese Merchant Communities

● China, Persia and Indian Merchants and Artisans expand production○ Production of Iron and Steel in China Increased

● Environmental Knowledge and long Distance trade○ Vikings → Longship○ Arabs and Berbers → Sahara○ Central Asia Pastoral groups → Horses

● What was traded on all the routes● Understand all the Trade Routes

Existing Trade Routes

● All continued into this period● All experience significant changes

○ Integration of growing commercial cities

● Are you able to identify the existing trade networks on a map??????○ Silk road○ Mediterranean○ Trans-Saharan○ Indian Ocean

Changes● Silk Road

○ Diffused important technologies around the world■ Gunpowder, paper, black death

○ Change with the changing political control■ Islam, Mongols

● Mediterranean○ Byzantines will revive the trade as well as the Islamic empire

■ Especially with North Africa

● Trans-Saharan○ Grew A LOT during the Post-Classical era mostly due to Islam○ The emergence of Mali

Indian ocean trade routes

● The dominate trade network during the post-classical era → By a lot● Very large cities due to the number of non-citizens● Major changes during P-C era.

○ Number of people participating increased○ Islam increased trade

■ Swahili coast○ Straits of Malacca

■ Spice trade due to the spices grew throughout Indonesia.■ Central point for this trade■ Tolls for passage

○ Chinese Trade

New Cities Develop

● Novgorod → connecting European merchants with Arab and Byzantine traders

○ Hanseatic League ○ Was protected from the Mongol Conquest

● Malaca→ we already looked at this● Timbuktu→ southern rim of the Sahara Desert → caravan trade

○ Exchange point for African gold and salt○ Important for the spread of Islam

● Hangzhou→ On the Grand Canal○ Departure point for goods to be traded○ Capital of China during the Southern Song

Novgorod

Timbuktu

Hangzhou

Don’t Forget the Americas

● Also developed extensive trade networks ● Not really and maritime trade● No “beasts of burden”● Did create elaborate road systems

○ Inca the best → 25,000 miles

● Evidence that the Aztecs did trade with American Indians in the Southwest parts of the US

Luxury

● After the fall of the Classical civilization there was a decline in luxury trade● Why is this important?

○ Luxury goods mean■ Status→ gives the appearance of civility ■ Surplus beyond necessity■ Primarily for external markets

● The increase accessibility of the trade routes and their increase safety caused this

○ Rise of the trading dynasties■ Mongols■ Islamic Caliphate

● Also better technology made it easier

Saffron

Black Pepper

Better Technology

● Caravan routes○ These began to develop in many places especially where the journey was very difficult ○ Nomadic people would often settle at the stopping points and provide services

■ Caravanserai → fortified inns, caravan palace

● Camels○ Can travel an average of 100 miles without needing water○ Used in many places not just middle east and africa

How do we pay for stuff?

● Credit and economic exchange○ China → Flying money○ Italy → Bills of exchange

○ This allowed merchants a method of paying for goods or taxes without having to transport coins in bulk

● Benefits the state and promotes trade

The movement of people caused environmental effects

● Vikings → started leaving their homes in the 8th century○ their inheritance practices reduced arable land ○ Began raiding ○ Longship

● Camels → arid environment○ Berber

Source

http://historyhaven.com/APWorldipedia/index.php?title=Key_Concept_3.1_Expansion_and_Intensification_of_Communication_and_Exchange_Networks