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Hmmm... What is a
network of exchange?
That’s easy! A network of exchange is a web of
connections through which people, goods, and ideas circulate. Telephones, the
Internet, and highways are all networks of exchange.
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RoutesRoutes Around 300 BCE to 300 CE, merchants, Around 300 BCE to 300 CE, merchants, shippers, sea captains, and empire-builders shippers, sea captains, and empire-builders extended and strengthened trade routes extended and strengthened trade routes across Afroeurasia and the Americas.across Afroeurasia and the Americas.
EmpiresEmpires Empires required networks of military and Empires required networks of military and political communication. These networks political communication. These networks encouraged interaction of many kinds over encouraged interaction of many kinds over long distances.long distances.
WritingWriting With the appearance of alphabetic writing With the appearance of alphabetic writing systems in Afroeurasia, people could systems in Afroeurasia, people could communicate faster and easier than ever communicate faster and easier than ever before.before.
ReligionsReligions The appearance of world religions— The appearance of world religions— Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Christianity—stimulated cultural interchange Christianity—stimulated cultural interchange across political and cultural boundaries.across political and cultural boundaries.
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In the Americas...In the Americas...
The Tiwanakans in what is today Bolivia also The Tiwanakans in what is today Bolivia also began to build trade routes during Big Era began to build trade routes during Big Era Four. Llama caravans brought produce, Four. Llama caravans brought produce, wood, metals, and fish from outlying villages wood, metals, and fish from outlying villages to the city of Tiwanaku.to the city of Tiwanaku.
The Olmec of Mexico developed extensive trade The Olmec of Mexico developed extensive trade networks that extended hundreds of miles from networks that extended hundreds of miles from Olmec territory. They imported jade and other raw Olmec territory. They imported jade and other raw materials for their crafts. Their exports included materials for their crafts. Their exports included pottery and sculpture.pottery and sculpture.
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The silk road, The silk road, Persian royal road, Persian royal road, Roman roads, and Roman roads, and shipping routes shipping routes combined to form combined to form extensive extensive interregional interregional networks of networks of exchange in exchange in Afroeurasia.Afroeurasia.
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A wide variety of goods A wide variety of goods flowed along these flowed along these networks… networks…
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On the map are some of the On the map are some of the goods traded along the goods traded along the Afroeurasian networks.Afroeurasian networks.
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• A number of large states, or empires, appeared in A number of large states, or empires, appeared in Big Era Four.Big Era Four.
• Empire-builders had to move troops and supplies, Empire-builders had to move troops and supplies, dispatch messages, gather intelligence, and collect dispatch messages, gather intelligence, and collect taxes.taxes.
• These tasks required good systems of These tasks required good systems of communication and transport by land and sea.communication and transport by land and sea.
• These systems were created mainly to serve the These systems were created mainly to serve the empire’s government and army.empire’s government and army.
• But they also served as highways of commerce, But they also served as highways of commerce, cultural exchange, and migration.cultural exchange, and migration.
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An empire is a state that unites many territories and diverse peoples under one ruler or
government.
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The Romans built an The Romans built an extensive network of extensive network of roads. Over 50,000 roads. Over 50,000 miles of paved roads, miles of paved roads, tracks, and trails tracks, and trails radiated from the Forum radiated from the Forum in the center of Rome to in the center of Rome to all parts of the empire.all parts of the empire.
Roman RoadsRoman Roads
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Though built primarily to speed Though built primarily to speed troops and supplies, Roman roads troops and supplies, Roman roads were used for commercial were used for commercial purposes, too. Goods were purposes, too. Goods were shipped to distant provinces and shipped to distant provinces and beyond.beyond.
Constructed by skilled engineers, Constructed by skilled engineers, the roads were strong enough to the roads were strong enough to support half-ton wagons and wide support half-ton wagons and wide enough to allow two-way traffic.enough to allow two-way traffic.
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The Silk Roads was a network of roads, The Silk Roads was a network of roads, tracks, and trails ran across Inner Eurasia. tracks, and trails ran across Inner Eurasia. Most of this region is part of the Great Arid Most of this region is part of the Great Arid Zone, the belt of dry country that extends Zone, the belt of dry country that extends
across Afroeurasia.across Afroeurasia.
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Great Arid ZoneInner Eurasia
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Inner Eurasia is a region of grassy steppes, rugged Inner Eurasia is a region of grassy steppes, rugged mountains, and forbidding deserts. This terrain is mountains, and forbidding deserts. This terrain is hard to cross. Despite these harsh conditions, hard to cross. Despite these harsh conditions, humans have been carrying goods, ideas, and humans have been carrying goods, ideas, and technologies along the Silk Roads of Inner Eurasia technologies along the Silk Roads of Inner Eurasia for millennia.for millennia.
I n n e r E u r a s i a
1997, Encyclopedia Britannica Inc
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Instead, they traded with farmers and city-dwellers Instead, they traded with farmers and city-dwellers for food and other goods.for food and other goods.
By 1000 BCE, pastoralists controlled networks of By 1000 BCE, pastoralists controlled networks of exchange throughout Inner Eurasia .exchange throughout Inner Eurasia .
Domestication of the horse, ox, and camel made Domestication of the horse, ox, and camel made humans more mobile.humans more mobile.
About 3000 BCE, people in the steppes of Inner About 3000 BCE, people in the steppes of Inner Eurasia began to take up pastoralism. Because they Eurasia began to take up pastoralism. Because they moved with their herds, they typically did not grow moved with their herds, they typically did not grow crops.crops.
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Between 300 BCE and 300 CE, Between 300 BCE and 300 CE, long periods of stability and long periods of stability and prosperity in states throughout prosperity in states throughout Afroeurasia stimulated interest in Afroeurasia stimulated interest in long distance trade. long distance trade.
Intercontinental communication Intercontinental communication and the exchange of goods, and the exchange of goods, became regular, organized, and became regular, organized, and protected by large empires.protected by large empires.
The Silk Roads carried shipments The Silk Roads carried shipments of Chinese silk but also many of Chinese silk but also many other goods.other goods.
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On the Silk Roads, goods changed On the Silk Roads, goods changed hands many times. Parthians, hands many times. Parthians, Indians, Kushans, Uigurs, and Indians, Kushans, Uigurs, and others acted as middlemen, selling others acted as middlemen, selling and bartering goods, and taking and bartering goods, and taking profits. profits.
Caravans passing west carried silk, Caravans passing west carried silk, porcelain, jade, bronze, and spices. porcelain, jade, bronze, and spices.
Those traveling east shipped gold Those traveling east shipped gold and silver coins, ivory, gemstones, and silver coins, ivory, gemstones, glassware, and carpets.glassware, and carpets.
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Sea routes ran down the Sea routes ran down the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Persian Gulf, across the Arabian Sea and across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and through Bay of Bengal, and through the Straits of Malacca to the the Straits of Malacca to the South China Sea. South China Sea.
Chinese Chinese ShipShip
Roman Roman ShipShip
Indian Indian ShipShip
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These sea lanes often linked These sea lanes often linked up with overland routes, up with overland routes, facilitating travel, trade, and facilitating travel, trade, and the exchange of ideas the exchange of ideas across Afroeurasia.across Afroeurasia.
