The Silk Road- What is it? Why is it important?

The Silk Road

The Silk Road lasted for 1200 years. From the Roman Empire until Medieval

Europe.There were three phases where it was

traveled more than other times.Han Dynasty (2nd Century B.C.E. – 2nd

Century C.E.)Tang Dynasty (7th – 10th Century C.E.)Yuan Dynasty (12th – 14th Century C.E.)

Marco Polo visits China

The Silk RoadThe Silk Road was not actually a road. It was

not paved. It was not even a single route. The Silk Road was a name given to a series of

interconnected trade routes that led across China to Rome. It was a 4000-mile trip. At one end was China. At the other end was Rome. 

After the Silk Road the “East” and “West” become Interdependent

Each had something the other wanted.

Rome had gold and silver and precious gems.

China had silk and spices and ivory.  Ideas also traveled along the Silk

Road, ideas that affected everyone. The spreading of goods and ideas

between cultures is known as

cultural diffusion.

Exchange of Goods

ITEMS TRADED ALONG THE SILK ROAD

OUD

BACTRIAN CAMELS

GLASS

CARPETS

METAL WORK

PORCELAIN

JADE

SPICES

SILK

1. What do you see?

2. How can we compare this to the trade of today?

3. Why was this important to global history?

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE TRAVELING ON THE SILK ROAD?

What do you see?

What is this?

The Silk RoadOver the centuries, the Silk Road developed a

civilization of its own. Where possible, the Silk Road became lined

with huge Buddhist temples, Islamic mosques and booming cities where much cultural diffusion.

It became far easier to travel the road. The journey became safer during the high trade eras.

But it was never easy. There were still vast stretches of deserts and mountains to cross, with no city or water in sight. 

Turn, talk, and answer:

0 Do you think that cultural diffusion benefits civilizations? Why or why not?

ByzantineEmpire

Mongol Empire

ChinaEmpire

OttomanEmpire

MughalEmpire

The Asian Empires we will study next.

Dangers of the Silk RoadIt was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road.

You faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, and poisonous snakes. 

There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor, a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of one of the mountains.

To reach this strip, you had to cross the desert or the mountains. And of course, there were always bandits and pirates.  

Even the traders did not make the whole trip. They worked in relays. Each trader would go a certain distance, exchange

their goods for other goods, and hopefully return. The next would move along the road, trade, and hopefully return.  

There were three main routes, and all were dangerous.Northern Route – Westward to Black SeaCentral Route – Westward to Persia, Mediterranean Sea, RomeSouthern Route – Westward to Iran, India

Geography of the Silk Road: Even though there were many physical obstacles, trade continued.

Himalayan Mountains

Pamir Mountains

Taklimakan Desert

Kunlun Mountain Painting

Taklamakan Desert:Western China “The Desert of Death”

The Silk Roads avoided the Taklamakan Desert and passed through the oasis towns on its outskirts

Making Silk

0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1RTqAWKenM&safe=active

Hear the story of a Silk Road Merchant

MERCHANT - a person whose job is to buy, sell & trade goods. (salesman or businessman)

Prepare to be a Silk Road Trader

Glassware

Carpet

Spices

Gold

Silk

Debriefing

What aspects of the activity were the most challenging? Why?

Would you have wanted to be a trader along the Silk Road? Why or why not?

Make a connection from the class to the history… fill in the T-chart in your packet

with your seatmates.1. Center table (Kashgar) was

most crowded2. Piece of paper with drawing on

it3. Farthest east room was

Duoyang4. Couldn’t walk further west than

Antioch5. Crawling on floor6. Climbing over desks7. Closing eyes8. One of the trade goods you got9. Most people didn’t make it to

all five trading spots

Now let’s discuss as a class1. Center table (Kashgar) was

most crowded2. Pictures on the papers3. Farthest east room was

Duhyuang4. Couldn’t walk further west than

Antioch5. Crawling on floor6. Climbing over desks7. Closing eyes8. One of the trade goods you

got9. Most people didn’t make it

to all five trading spots

What did you learn so far about the Silk Road

On the Post It:1. Grade yourself on your listening in class.2. Did you finish all homework. Yes or No.3. Evaluate yourself on your understanding of the

homwork.4. Define Silk Road including where it started and

ended.5. What are four goods traded?6. What other than goods were spread and what is that

called?

Cultural Exchange and Silk Road

0Silk Road created cultural diffusion in which goods, ideas, technology and knowledge spread between cultures

0China and Rome not only received new products but learned how to make them for themselves

0By 500 CE the Chinese understood the technology Roman glassmaking.

0Around the same time, Rome learned how to produce silk

Changes to China

1. In addition to learning to make glassware, gardening and agriculture changed.

2. China imported many new foods such as grapes, cucumbers, figs, pomegranates, walnuts, chives, sesame

3. Near China, draw and label two symbols for two foods or products that China learned about as a result of trade on Silk Road.

Changes to the West (especially

Rome)1. In addition to learning to make silk, there were

diet, gardening and agricultural changes.2. Rome and western people imported oranges,

peaches, pears and flowers like roses, mums, peonies and more

3. Near Rome, draw and label two symbols for two foods or products that Rome learned about as a result of trade on Silk Road.

Buddhism spreads from India along Silk Road

Buddhism had its beginnings in India.Because the Silk Road passed through India, and

India was in the middle, many people learned of Buddhism

Buddhism was introduced in China in 1st centurySome Chinese Buddhists would travel the Silk Road

just to get to India to get sacred texts on the religion.

Buddhism is now a world religion

0Near India, draw and label a symbol for Buddhism. Then draw and arrow that shows how Buddhism spread from India to China.

0Then answer the two thought questions below the map.

Effects of Trade

What other effects might there be to trade other than just the exchange of goods and the

chance to get rich?

Silk Road Today – 2009 Visit

0 http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5647644n

Now, how would you do on a practice quiz over the Silk

Road?

Look at the target questions on the Unit Target Guide I’m about to give you.

Answer the Silk Road target questions with your Asian Empires partner.