Week Eight Blog

       In chapter seven, one of the things discussed was the Silk Road. The Silk Road was a land-based trade route, which linked the pastoral and agricultural peoples as well as the large civilizations on the continent's outer rim. This network stretched all the way from China in the east, to the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the goods transported on the Silk Road were often carried in large canal caravans that transversed the harsh and dangerous steppes, deserts, and oases of Central Asia (319). From all off the luxury goods that were transported, silk was the one that came to symbolize this network of exchanges. From China, there was an export of bamboo, mirrors, silk, gunpowder, paper, ginger, lacquerware, and chrysanthemums. From the lands of Siberia and Central Asia there was an export of furs, walrus tusks, amber, livestock, horses, falcons, hides, copper vessels and saddles. From the Middle East, there they exported dates, nuts, almonds, dried fruits, dyes and swords. In terms of gender, this road was also the best option for women that wanted to work in any of these three roads. This was a lot safer for women, since they could easily die due to exposure in the Sand Roads, and could be taken advantage of in the Sea Roads, since that was mainly done by men. Also, in China for example, women also had a greater sense of equality there. There, they could trade just like men, and could even own their trading shops. 

       The second other one of the three major trading networks was the Sea Roads. Just like the Sea Road connected societies through land, so did the Sea Road by connecting people all across the Eastern hemisphere. For example, there were ports connected all the way from China, through India, the Arabian peninsula, Eastern Africa, Madagascar, South East Asia, and the South East Asian islands. Because ships could carry larger products and in greater quantities, this route allowed for the movement of greater goods. Some products that came from these areas included ivory, gold, iron goods and slaves from East Africa; grain, ivory, and precious stones from India; and ceramics, tea and porcelain from China (327). However, these roads had one very negative effect on the world. During the 14th century, the Black Death hit Europe, and spread to other parts. Although it was unknown at the time what caused it, we can now see what caused it, and how It was able to spread so rapidly. It was rats that carried the Bubonic Virus; specifically, it was the fleas. This fleas were attached to the rats, and spread throughout Europe. However, these trading roads exacerbated the spread. Rats could easily be transported on the ships, and these ships would then travel from port to port, unknowingly carrying more than their luxury goods- they were carrying the Bubonic virus as well. 

       The last of the three major trading routes was the Sand Roads. These roads connected North Africa and the Mediterranean world with the land and the people of the interior of West Africa. Among the things transported here were gold, salt, metals, textiles, dates, coffee and grains. The preferred method of transportation was through camels, since they were best for desert terrain, and this was where they would travel the most through. Through this network, the Sahara desert stopped being an obstacle that would keep people secluded, and became one go the roads for transportation of such goods.