!!2.7 Comparison of exchange

• Who described Calicut in 1442?


  Abdu Razzak
• What was Calicut known as?


  The "City of Spices"
• What types of goods were traded in Calicut?


  Pepper and cinnamon from India and various goods from other areas
• How did Calicut compare to other trading cities along trade routes?


  It was similar in security and diversity but differed in currency and governmental profit from trade
• What were the major trading networks connecting people from c. 1200 to c. 1450?


  • Silk Roads: luxury goods from Asia to Europe
  • Indian Ocean routes: heavy goods between Asia and Africa
  • Trans-Saharan routes: salt and gold trade between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa
• What was the origin of interregional trade?


  It began with agrarian cultures consolidating into stable settlements
• Why did trading networks need stable states to grow?


  Stable states assured merchants of protection along trade routes
• What technological upgrades supported trade expansion?


  Nautical equipment like the magnetic compass and lateen sail
• What was the primary economic purpose of the trading networks?


  To exchange goods that people produced for what they needed
• What were the effects of the trading networks on cities?


  They gave rise to trading cities that acted as "knots" in the network
• What were the major trading cities along the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan routes?

  • Silk Roads: Chang'an, Samarkand, Aleppo, Mosul
  • Indian Ocean: Malacca, Calicut, Hormuz, Mombasa, Alexandria
  • Trans-Saharan: Gao, Timbuktu, Marrakesh, Cairo
• What was the shortest route from East Asia to Southwest Asia on the Indian Ocean trade route?


  Through the Strait of Malacca
• How did Malacca use its wealth from trade?


  To develop a strong navy and prevent piracy
• Why was a standardized currency important in trading cities?


  It sped up transactions and helped measure product value
• What was the Ulugh Beg Madrasa?


  An Islamic religious school built in Samarkand
• What were the differences among the networks of exchange?


  • Goods exchanged
  • Nature of routes and transportation
  • Technologies inspired
  • Religions spread
• What types of goods were exchanged on the Silk Roads?


  Silk, tea, spices, dyes, porcelain, rice, paper, gunpowder
• What types of goods were exchanged on the Indian Ocean routes?


  Fruits, domestic animals, textiles, gold, ivory, and more
• What types of goods were exchanged on the Trans-Saharan routes?


  Salt, gold, ivory, cloth, and books
• What technologies were inspired by the Silk Roads?

  Saddles and caravanserai
• What technologies were inspired by the Indian Ocean trade?


  Stern rudder, lateen sail, astrolabe, magnetic compass
• What technologies were inspired by the Trans-Saharan trade?


  Saddles to increase load bearing
• How did currencies differ among trading networks?


  Silk was a currency, while cowrie shells and tin ingots were also used
• What was "flying cash" in Chinese commerce?


  A form of credit to make commerce less bulky
• What social changes occurred due to rising demand for luxury goods?

  Proto-industrialization in China and new business practices emerged
• What types of labor were common during this period?

  Free peasant farmers, artisans, debt laborers, and enslaved people
• How did kinship ties play a role in labor during large-scale projects?


  They helped coordinate the work of organized laborers
• What was the impact of trade on social structures during this period?


  Class or caste systems persisted, with patriarchal societies dominating
• How did Mongol women differ from women in other regions?


  Mongol women had more freedom and could be advisors
• What was the effect of trade on population during this period?


  It led to a steep population decline due to disease spread
• What were the environmental consequences of increased trade?


  Soil erosion and migration due to overgrazing and deforestation
• What were the cultural impacts of the trade networks?


  • Cultural diffusion occurred
  • Development of educational centers in cities like Canton, Samarkand, Timbuktu, Cairo, and Venice
• Who described Calicut in 1442?


  Abdu Razzak
• What was Calicut known as?


  The "City of Spices"
• What types of goods were traded in Calicut?


  Pepper and cinnamon from India and various goods from other areas
• How did Calicut compare to other trading cities along trade routes?


  It provided security and had a diverse clientele, but differed in currency and governmental trade practices
• What were the major trading networks connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450?

  • Silk Roads
  • Indian Ocean trade routes
  • Trans-Saharan trade routes
• What goods did merchants specialize in on the Silk Roads?

  Luxury goods
• What was the significance of the monsoon-dependent trade routes in the Indian Ocean?


  They linked East Asia with Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Southwest Asia for heavy goods transport
• What was traded along the trans-Saharan trade routes?


  Salt from North Africa and gold from kingdoms south of the desert