2.1 - The Silk Roads 

Crusades and Global Trade Expansion:

• The Crusades, beginning in the late 11th century, helped expand trade networks as knights and lords returned to Europe with valuable goods like fabrics and spices from the East.

• Despite the Ottoman Turks' advances on the Byzantine Empire, trade routes like the Silk Roads and maritime routes in the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans remained active.

• Europe desired luxury goods from China, such as silk, tea, and rhubarb, and global trade continued to grow.

Rise of New Empires and the Silk Roads:

• After the fall of the Roman and Han empires, the first golden age of the Silk Roads ended. However, by the 8th and 9th centuries, the Abbasid Empire revived these routes.

• Tang China contributed innovations like the compass, paper, and gunpowder to global trade. They exported goods like porcelain, tea, and silk, and imported items such as cotton and precious stones.

• The Mongol Empire, which conquered the Abbasid Caliphate and later China, played a crucial role in expanding trade. The Mongols unified parts of the Silk Roads, improved infrastructure, and made travel safer.

Improvements in Transportation Technologies:

• On the Silk Roads, traveling in caravans became safer, and camel saddles were improved to carry more weight.

• During the Han Dynasty, China advanced naval technology, including the magnetic compass, rudder, and the large, compartmentalized junk ship, which enhanced sea navigation.

Cities, Oases, and Commercial Innovations:

• Oases like Kashgar and Samarkand became thriving trade centers along the Silk Roads. These cities, situated in fertile areas, supported trade and cultural exchanges.

• Kashgar, at the crossroads of major routes, provided water and food, while Samarkand was a cultural and trading hub known for its diverse religions and impressive architecture.

• Caravanserai, inns along the Silk Roads, provided resting places for travelers and their animals.

• China introduced new financial systems, including flying cash, which allowed for easier transactions and inspired modern banking practices. The Hanseatic League in Europe also facilitated trade by protecting merchant routes and monopolizing goods in Northern Europe.

Effects of European Interest in Asian Goods:

• The Crusades increased European interest in Asian luxury goods, prompting trade networks to expand. European cities formed alliances and commercial groups, like the Hanseatic League, to control and benefit from these trade routes.