Trade Routes

By: Taylor and Jen!

The Role of Traders!

The Berbers: The Berbers were a group of nomadic Africans that lived in North
Africa. There were roughly 25 million Berbers living in North Africa. The
Berbers call themselves i-Mazigh-en which means free people. They conducted a
unique style of trade that involved the exchange of goods of equal value without
having any vocal interaction with the other party. They were predominantly
Islam , and the majority of the people that they traded with were also of Islam
faith. Trading with other Islamic believers was beneficial for them because they
knew that they would be loyal, because they were obligated to by the Islamic
beliefs.

The Role of Traders!

Vikings: Surprisingly, the Vikings didnt actually wear the stereotypical viking
hats with horns because they would get in the way in battle. The Viking trade
network created and included trade relationships throughout the world.
Documentary evidence indicates that there were several groups of specific
people who traveled between the Viking trading centers and other centers
throughout Europe, as envoys, merchants or missionaries. Anskar(801-865) is
an example of a man who was a missionary bishop who left extensive reports of
his travels which was beneficial to traders after him and researchers like me to
find detailed information. Popular trade items of the Vikings were slaves, coins,
ceramics, crafts items such as beads and glass works and animals. Some
commodities could make or break a colony: Greenlands Norse relied on trade
in walrus ivory and hide and polar bear skins to support their difficult farming
strategies. Near the end of the 10th century AD arctic Norway cod become a
major trading item for the vikings when commercial fishing allowed them to

Vikings Cont.
Major trading centers from the vikings homeland included Ribe, Kaupang, Birka,
Ahus, Truso, Grop Stromkendorf and Hedeby. Goods were brought to these centers
and then dispersed into the Viking society. The Vikings were similar to the Mongols
because both peoples didnt ask before taking things, they were both very
controlling groups.
The Hanseatic League: was an alliance of cities that came to dominate trade along
the coast of Northern Europe between roughly the 13th and 17th centuries.The
Hanseatic league was an organization formed to protect the trading interests of
northern Europe. The Lubeck and Hamburg made an alliance in 1241 allowing the
Hanseatic League to form. Northern European cities made many similar agreements
which led to the growth of the league. The most popular way for them to trade was
transporting goods through ship convoys and caravans. Popular trade items for
them were timber wood carvings and engraved metals.

The Hanseatic League cont.

The league built lighthouses and canals in order to protect the route from
pirates. The Baltic cog was a boat specially made for the shallow waters of the
Baltic Sea. The Hanseatic league successfully monopolized the Baltic and
North seas. Surprisingly the league was never a coherent political organization.
The Hanseatic league brought a new ideas never seen before like the
monopolizing of trade and working with city's for their best interest. Also in 600
the Hanseatic League had a high demand for luxury goods.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade

Swahili Coast: (Around 900 - 1500) The Swahili city-states were
trade centers in eastern Africa. Their growth was due largely to the increase in
trade along the Indian Ocean Basin. Bantu settlers on the coast and Arab
merchants who traded along the east African coast interacted to create citystates such as Mogadishu, Sofala, and Kilwa. Swahili is a language that blends
Bantu and Arabic. Merchants traded gold, slaves and ivory for pottery,
glassware, and textiles from Persia, India and China. City-states were governed
by kings, who controlled the trade, as well as the taxes. Wealthy merchants
often converted to Islam, but did not give up their own religions or traditions

Areas and Cities of Major Trade

Great Zimbabwe: is a ruined city in the southeastern hills of Zimbabwe near
Lake Mutirikwe and the town of Masvingo. It was the capital of the Kingdom of
Zimbabwe during the country's Late Iron Age. Construction on the monument
by ancestors of the Shona people began in the 11th century and continued until
the 14th century, spanning an area of 1,780 acres which, at its peak, could have
housed up to 18,000 people. Great Zimbabwe served as a royal palace for the
Zimbabwean monarch and would have been used as the seat of political power.
One of its most prominent features were the walls, some of which were over five
metres high and which were constructed without mortar. Eventually the city
was abandoned and fell into ruin. The earliest known written mention of the
ruins was in 1531 by Vicente Pegado, captain of the Portuguese garrison of
Sofala, who recorded it as Symbaoe.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade

Timbuktu City was on the Niger River in the modern country of Mali. It was
founded by the Tuareg as a seasonal camp sometime after 1000 CE. As part of
the Mali empire, Timbuktu became a major major terminus of the transSaharan trade and a center of Islamic learning. During the 11th century Mali's
capital city, Timbuktu, became a world center of trade, education and
sophistication. There are several stories concerning the derivation of the citys
name. According to one tradition, Timbuktu was named for an old woman left
to oversee the camp while the Tuareg roamed the Sahara. Timbuktus location
at the meeting point of desert and water made it an ideal trading centre. In the
late 13th or early 14th century it was incorporated into the Mali empire.By the
14th century it was a flourishing centre for the trans-Saharan gold and
salttrade, and it grew as a centre of Islamic culture.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade

Baghdad: Mansur believed that Baghdad was the perfect city to be the capital of the
Islamic empire under the Abbasids (566653 CE) The city was designed as a circle about
1 km in diameter, leading it to be known as the "Round City". The city of Baghdad became
the focal point of the Islamic Golden Age for many reasons, it had a critical link in trade
routes, mild climate, topography (critical for fortification), and proximity to water.
Baghdad is set right on the Khurasan Road, which was an established meeting place for
caravan routes from all cardinal directions. The link in trade routes provided a flood of
goods into the city, which allowed numerous markets to spring up drawing people from
all of the Middle East to Baghdad to trade. The markets that developed in Baghdad were
some of the most sophisticated as well because of the governments supervision of their
products as well as trade amongst each other.Because of the sophisticated trading market,
an advanced banking system developed as well, allowing further settlement from
outsiders. Baghdads location between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers as well, created a
trade link to further destinations such as China, India and Armenia, drawing even more
people, literature, and knowledge to the city from exotic and distant lands.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade:

Novgorod
Novgorod is located in the Northwestern frontiers of Russia. Novgorod was
such a significant location of trade that before the 16th century, some
mapmakers believed it was the center of the Russian state. During the 15th to
16th centuries Novgorod was a member of the largest trade union in Europe,
the Hansa or Hanseatic League. This union had a erman post and a Gothic
post in the city which acted as foreign trade representative offices. The city
was positioned on the best water route between Constantinople and the Baltic
Sea. It was a vital city in connecting Arab and Byzantine merchants with the
European merchants. The geography of the city allowed it to be protected from
the Mongols and maintain uninterrupted trade. Thick forests and marshes
surrounded the city which prevented the Mongols from invading.The people in
this region travelled by skis, horseback, and horse drawn sledge. Main exports
of Novgorod were hemp, beeswax, craftsmen, and fur.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade:

Hangzhou
Hangzhou or Hangchow was a significant city of trade because of its location on the
Southern end of China next to the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal connected the city to
Bejing across 1000 kilometers. Due to the location, the city was able to export more than
they imported and had connections to the silk roads resulting in a thriving economy. The
stable climate of Hangzhou, resulting in the ability to maintain growing and harvesting of
important trade items, also allowed the citys economy to thrive. It is listed as one of the
Seven Ancient Capitals of China. During the Southern Song Dynasty Hangzhou became
the capital city. Many of Chinas famous poets during the time travelled to the city to live
and work. Scholars and artists also came to live in the city. These people contributed to
the variety and quantity of goods being traded as well as the spread of knowledge. During
the Song dynasty, Arab merchants lived in the city resulting in the spread of language and
Arabic scriptures being found. Many chinese goods were sent to Korea, Japan,
Southeastern Asia, and through the Indian Ocean trade networks from this departure
point.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade:

Calicut
Calicut is a city located on the South-western coast of India. According to some sources
the city was founded sometime in the 13th century. It is located in a low, flat country, that
had some high hills rising from sea level that overlooked the ocean. Some legends state
that it was once completely surrounded by water. Bordering the Arabian Sea allowed
Arabian merchants easy access to the city and many settled there. Calicut had a very good
and large harbor making it an ideal place for trade. Arab merchants were taxed while
trading in the city which created wealth for the rulers of Calicut, the Zamorins, to use on
military activities as well as others. Calicut had diverse culture and traditions because of
their contacts with Arab and Chinese merchants. These merchants brought their values,
social ideas, religion, etc.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade:

Melaka
Melaka is a city located on the Malay peninsula which seperated the Indian Ocean from
the South China Sea, making it a very important trade destination because of its location
on the water and between India and China. Spices grown across the islands of Indonesia
were traded in Malaka and sold on the Indian ocean. The city was said to be te largest
marketplace in the world circa 600-1450. The city collected knowledge from several
different peoples and over 80 languages were spoken in Melaka. Special quarters for
traders to stay were located in the city and traders could store their goods in warehouses.
At times the quarters could hold more than 4000 traders. The ruler of Melaka was called
the Sultan and they plus the courtiers controlled all trading activities. These activities
included providing capital to their agents, levying taxes, buying ships, building ships,
buying/selling goods, and administering the port.

Areas and Cities of Major Trade: Venice

Venice is located in Northern Italy on the Adriatic Sea. This location gave Venice a trade
advantage over other cities in Italy because they could connect with other ports across the
world. In 500 the city was created by refugees who fled from war and invasions in Italys
Northern area.The city is surrounded by a mountain barrier which created a greater
defense against barbarian invasion. Barbarian invasions were common in the provinces of
Gaul and Spain but Venices mountain barrier created a greater defense against invasions.
Venice was famous for their textile industry. However, their expansion in the textile
industry was a result of needing something to trade for the high in demand spices from
the East. Merchants from Venice were able to create links between the Mongol Empire,
Asia Minor, Armenia, the Caucasus, and Persia after Marco Polo opened a silk route
between Venice and the East in the thirteenth century.

Trade Routes:

Trans-Sahara
Indian Ocean Basins
Grand Canal
Silk Roads
Mediterranean

Trans-Sahara
The Trans-Saharan trade routes were located in Sub-Saharan Africa or Northern Africa across the
largest desert in the world, the Saharan desert. There were some mountains and small water basins in
Northern Africa. The greatest dangers on these routes were the excruciating weather conditions.
Because of the weather conditions, technologies needed to improve in order to accomplish trading.
Camel saddles were invented to make travel easier and camels were the most reliable mode of
transportation because they could withstand the climate by going long periods without water as well as
handling extreme heat. The main items traded on these routes were gold and salt. These routes
allowed Africa to trade their gold for salt resulting in the rise of the Ghana Empire and their economic
expansion. The contact of Africans with Muslims during trade on the Trans-Saharan trade routes
spread Muslim to West Africa and even the kinds converted to Islam in the 900s. Important cities on
these trade routes were Timbuktu and Gao.

Indian Ocean Basins

According to some historians, Indian Ocean trade was the greatest
trade route of the 600-1450 time period. This is based on the large
amount of people who traded on the route, how many different
cultures connected, and how much was traded. The major dangers of
these trade routes were the weather conditions on the Indian Ocean.
Travellers had to time their departures based on monsoon winds.
Because of these monsoon winds, port cities along the ocean had large
numbers of merchants and travellers who were waiting for the right
time to sail. The spread of different cultures and tolerance of different
cultures grew in these cities. The Indian Ocean trade networks were
best for exchanging items in bulk because it was easier for ships to
carry large quantities than caravans. Items traded through these
networks include ivory, cotton textiles, timber, spices, gold, and many
others. Another significant quality of the Indian Ocean trade networks
was that merchants from anywhere were allowed to trade because the
ocean wasnt controlled by anyone. The networks were on the Indian
Ocean and ships travelled on the Arabian Sea between Africa, India,
and Persia. Between where present day India, Indonesia, China, the
Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam ships travelled across the Bay of
Bengal and South China Sea.

Grand Canal
The Grand Canal was used
to transport goods from
different areas of China to
be traded to the rest of the
world. It was significant
because the waterway was
an easy and reliable way
to move goods.

Silk Roads
The Silk Roads were a collection of trade routes spanning across the land of
Asia. It spanned from China to Persia. Trade items were not the only things
travelling on the Silk Roads, knowledge and ideas were also spread greatly
across the trade network as well as disease. The dangers on the Silk Road
were large and often unavoidable. Many travellers faced starvation and thirst
especially while passing through the desert areas. Sandstorms were also
known to demolish and bury entire caravans. Another major threat was bandits
in several areas. The Silk Roads were the connection between Europe and
China.

Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean sea trade networks were based on trade between Europe, Morocco, Egypt, and Syria. allic,
Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, Macedonian, Albanian, Jewish, Berber, Arabic, Turkish, Mesopotamian, and
Egyptian cultures were all spread throughout these networks. Most travel was done on the Mediterranean Sea but
some short land travel was done in
Europe and Northern Africa. The most
popular trade item was spices from the
Middle East. The spices were used for
medicines, religious rituals, cosmetics,
etc. Dangers of these networks were
invasions by mongols and wars between
states. Sea conditions could also be
dangerous at times.

Luxury Trade Items

Silk: It was one of the most treasured goods to be traded in the world during the 6001450s time period. It was created in China and was overseen directly by state to assure a
standard of quality and prevent the secret of how it was produced to be spread. In China
the finest silk could only be worn by scholar bureaucrats and their administration. Silk
could be used for robes, blankets, pillows, etc.
Slaves: As the economy grew, countries needed more people to help build their economy.
Slaves were introduced to help the rich become more powerful. The slaves helped build
things such as palaces, roads, and ships. Some slaves were domestic slaves. Slavery was
common and not necessarily frowned upon.
Exotic Animals: Animals such as camels made trade possible across some areas of trade
networks because they could carry weight, travel long distances, and didnt need much
maintenance. Horses were also effective in carrying goods in some areas. Elephants were
also used to pack goods. These animals were traded because people needed help in
completing trade and making trade easier.

Luxury Trade Items Cont...

Cotton textiles: Areas where cotton could be grown had strong economies because of their
cotton sales. Cotton weaving was very important and items like clothing could be made
from the cotton.
Porcelain: It was highly valued for its beauty and durability. The Ming Dynasty controlled
almost all of the porcelain trade in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Porcelain pots, vases, and
plates produced by China.
Spices: They were very important for a lot of different reasons. As demand for spices
increased and supply couldnt keep up spices became incredibly costly. Therefore, only
the rich could afford it. Countries in the Middle East generated a lot of wealth from their
production of spices. Some spices became a currency that people would accept as money.
Precious Metals: Only certain countries could mine metals just as only some countries
have gold. The countries with diamonds became wealthier because of the rarity of
diamonds. Prices for gems were extremely high because they were so rare.

Causes and Effects: Creation of

Caravanserai

The creation of caravanserais came from the necessity of

travelers to have a somewhat comfortable place to stay after
and during long/difficult trips. These buildings gave
animals, merchants, and travellers a place to rest. These rest
stops were necessary for people to accomplish their
travelling and trade. This also enabled the travellers to travel
longer distances and cover greater areas. They could then
sell items to many different people and areas. Since trade
was made easier by these rest stops, greater economies were
created because a greater volume of trade. Merchants grew
wealthier, cities expanded in population, and empires
expanded. When caravanserais became more popular and
there were larger numbers of them and larger number of
people visiting, information began to spread more quickly.
Knowledge, literature, art, and religion (specifically Islam)
were all shared at these places.

Causes and Effects: Development of

Credit and Paper Money
Through the increase of trade, people were in need for an easier way to purchase, sell, and
exchange items. Credit and paper money solved these problems. As people had access to
more credit to they bought and sold more items. With the increase in credit and sales of
trade items, the amount of money being used also increased. The use of money brought
products to new areas that never used money. Money was brought to places that never
had currency before.

Causes and Effects: Impact on

Language
In order to do business with other countries, towns, cities, or other merchants,
travellers needed to learn other languages. Proper communication was
necessary and translators were often needed. Through the learning of new
languages, the culture of the learned languages was spread. As time went on,
more and more people learned of each other's languages and culture which
made business with others more efficient. Therefore the spread of language
created an increase of trade.

Causes and Effects: Environment

Trade routes went through vast areas of rich environment
and poor environment. As word spread through the trade
routes, people migrated to the richer environments. As
environments changed, the people either adapted or moved
on to more favourable environments. People migrated to
the rich resource areas creating larger towns and cities.
Some areas lacked certain resources and needed to trade
with other areas for the resources they needed which
sparked trade.

Dates for the Major Trading Centers and Routes

Silk Road: It was established during the period of Roman rule in Europe and took its name from the
silk that was brought to the west from China. The Mongols reopened the route in the 13th c.
The Incense Route: The incense trade flourished from South Arabia to the Mediterranean between
roughly the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century CE.
Trans-Saharan Trade Routes: stretched across the Sahara Desert between Mediterranean countries
and sub-Saharan Africa, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the late 16th century,
and included trade between Europe and Africa.
Phoenicia centered in modern-day Lebanon and the coast of Syria same time as the silk roads.
Palmyra The city of Palmyra, located in Syria, is an ancient oasis city of the Silk Road where the
Incense Trail, and overland subsidiaries of the Spice Route once met

Case Study: Tang China vs. The Abbasids

Medicine
Both states improved medicine, also the standardization of medicine became important for the Tang people because
there were many schools in China.
Technologies/crafts
The magnetic compass was invented and highly useful. Woodblock printing became popular, and the Abbasids took and
improved silk weaving.The Abbasids and the Tang used the same technique for ceramics. Paper making was invented
and became popular and the Abbasids imitated white porcelain and made many advances in irrigation. The use and
improvement of canals took place, also the Grand Canal was being expanded during this time. As well, many craftsmen
from Tang worked in Baghdad which allowed them to bring back knowledge of mathematics, sciences and of
astronomy.
Paper making
Before Talas Abbasid paper from Chinese. Chinese paper workers were captured (Talas 751 C.E). Next the Abbasids
changed the process and thicker paper became popular. A factory was set up in Baghdad in 769 C.E and the art of
papermaking spread to the rest of the Muslim world.

Case Study: Tang China vs. The Abbasids

Religion
Abbasid merchants brought Islam to Tang. They slowly adapted and blended with the Chinese culture. The construction
of mosques took place and the high majority of people followed the 5 pillars of Islam.
Art/Literature/Music
Islamic art was adapted by the Tang people and the architecture styles were brought to Tang by craftsmen. The two
peoples had a mutual influence on pottery and ceramic art.
Poetry works appeared in the Caliphate. Music was also brought by Abbasid merchants such as songs, dance and
instruments. These things were adapted and blended with Tang customs and culture.
Revolution
Abbasid Caliphate originally a rebellion. Lushan rebellion after conflict, and help sent from Abbasid.
Conflict
There was the battle of Talas River which included 200,000 Abbasids and 10,000 Chinese and concluded with Chinese
defeat. The Abbasids gained land in Central Asia and Yang lost important tributaries. Islam became the dominant
religion, and land was taken from both by the Mongols.
Agricultural exchange
Contact with the Abbasids gave Tang farming techniques. Tang- Juntian Zhi systems. The systems improved

Case Study: Tang China vs. The Abbasids

Trade and Exchange
In 751 tang craftsman were kidnapped by the Abbasids. They were returned 11 years later, they brought Abbasid
techniques and culture. Abbasids also adopted ideas from tang like the same ceramic style. Abbasids trade products
produced from these crafts, and The Abbasids and tang traded for over 200 years. They exchanged goods by using
the Silk Road. Common goods were salt, foodstuffs, spirits, medicine, gold, silver and textiles. Involving the labor
systems, the Tang and Abbasids used slave labor. Involving industrialization, the Tang produced ceramics and paper
which were exchanged with the Abbasids primarily on the silk Road.

Case Study: Tang China vs. The Abbasids

Changes, Pros and Cons.
Tang
-Chinese woman marrying foreigners was common
-more acceptance of foreigners was developed
-arranged Royal marriages to foreign people
-New ideas and techniques were brought in
-The change in attitude towards foreigners may have been influenced by the other empire that resulted from
them combining their cultural traditions
-Exams allowed lower class citizens to obtain government jobs, which were given based on education level not
birth rank that created social mobility for lower class citizens.
P.s. Social mobility was created for the lower-class citizens in both governments because they both used
education to fill government positions instead of the traditional aristocracy

Case Study: Tang China vs. The Abbasids

Changes, Pros and Cons.
Abbasid
-spread of the raven language unified empire
-text translations combined other cultures with Islamic culture
-Islamist spreading equal discrimination against non-Arabs disappearing
-non-Arabs brought trade and goods into empire
-literate citizens had opportunity to work in government which created social mobility into the
government position

Technologies Facilitating Long Distance Communication

and Exchange!
The caravel- A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th
century
Triangular sails -Triangular fore-and-aft rigs were invented in the Mediterranean as single
yarded lateensails and independently in the Pacific as more efficient
Stern mounted rudder -More specifically, the steering gear of ancient vessels can be classified
into side-rudders and stern-mounted rudders, depending on their location on the ship.
Nautical astrolabe -The mariner's astrolabe, also called sea astrolabe, was an inclinometer used
to determine the latitude of a ship at sea by measuring the sun's noon altitude
Usable compass - Helped the traders and sea captains an enormous amount by showing them
clearly which direction they were travelling.
These things used to assist with sea trade were also related to the huge positive impact that
domesticated animals had on trade.

The Value of Domesticated Pack Animals and Related Technologies!

Domesticated pack animals were highly valued. Some animals were used for
sacrifice, while the domesticated others were a very beneficial thing for farming,
plowing and carrying heavy objects. Domesticated animals were of great value
to the traders because they could carry the trade items and the food/ necessities
the humans needed for such long voyages on foot over land. The bulk of the
Chinese stock consisted of horses, oxen and sheep; but in smaller numbers they
bred likewise camels, asses, mules, horse-ass hybrids, wild horses and hybrids
of the same. Animals such as horses were also used in games for the Nomads,
and cattle were used as a peace statement, if someone was to ask how is your
cattle then it would mean caring.

Marco Polo!
Marco Polo was born in 1254 in Venice Italy to a wealthy venician merchant family. He grew up
traveling with his family from Europe to Asia. His mother died when he was young. He was an
adventurous merchant from Italy who even eventually left Italy and served in China under Kubla Khan
for 20 years. When he returned to his homeland around 1292 he brought the first taste of Asian culture
to Europe. He authored a book, 1L milione, which described his travels and experiences and influenced
other adventures and merchants. Khans empire was the largest in the world and a mystery to
outsiders. In 1271 his brothers Niccolo and Maffeo Polo took Marco to Asia. Their journey was
overland through harsh and challenging territory, including the Afghanistan and Gobi desert. Marco
reveled in it and was gifted with an exceptionally sharp memory for the details of places and cultures
he explored. It took them four years to reach China. Marco's immersion into the Chinese culture
resulted in him mastering four languages. Khan employed Marco as a special envoy which enabled him
to explore Burma, Tibet, India and many other places. He received many promotions during his 17
year service. He served as governor of a Chinese city, a tax investor and an official of the Privy Council.
Marco Polo died at the age of 61.

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