The Silk Road

______Date _____ Class _____

Geography and History Activity

The Silk Road was a transcontinen- pepper, pearls, coral, and ivory. Mediter tal trade route that eventually stretched ranean merchants traded precious metals, from China to Europe. The main part of gems, glassware, and wine. the "road" originated in Xi an (Chang'an), The Silk Road was a treacherous, time China, crossing Asia and Southwest Asia consuming, and expensive route. Thieves to Antioch on the Mediterranean Sea. were common in the deserts and mountain Although the Silk Road was used for . passes, and trading caravans often had to travel and trade as early as 200 B.C., it did pay bribes for safe passage along the way. not become a major trade route until the 1200s. European merchants realized they Mongols Protect the Road could make their fortunes trading for In northern Asia, the land was too poor exotic items like silk and spices from East and the climate too harsh for agriculture. Asia. Trading companies organized, with Nomadic tribes there traded a valuable many individual traders responsible for item-horses-throughout Southeast a different segment of the Silk Road. Asia for goods they needed. One nomadic Silk was the most precious trade item group, the Mongols, began expanding from China. From East Asian traders, their trade routes from their homeland in European merchants also bought spices Mongolia across Central Asia in the early such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and 1200s. Under the leadership of Genghis ginger. These spices were used for flavor Khan, the Mongols used their superior ings, drugs, and perfumes. India traded riding skills to defeat less-skilled armies

The Silk Road

Wine Woven Goods

- Main Silk Road

...... Eurasian Steppe Route Tea Main Connecting ARABIAN SEA \ Routes

II Name ______------' ___ Date ____ Class _____

Geography and History Activity continued throughout Asia. Genghis Khan was able 2. Explaining How important was the to fashion the fiercest fighters in Asia from Silk Road to Europe and Asia? the once-scattered tribes of nomads. He and his sons and grandson built an empire that stretched from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean. As generations of Khan rulers expanded their Mongol Empire, the Silk Road was also expanded for transport and 3. Explaining In what ways did the Silk communications systems. Trade caravans Road spread cultural ideas? were made safer as alliances were forged with the powerful Mongol rulers. The rulers were even tolerant of different cul tures and religions. Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity spread along the Silk Road. Ideas such as using paper money came out 4. Identifying Who invaded Asia and of the Mongol trade empire. This period expanded the Silk Road for their own came to be known to historians as the Pax use? Who was their leader? Mongolica, or Mongol Peace. The Silk Road served as the greatest trade route in the world until about 1360. At that time, the Mongol Empire disinte grated, and sea routes became a safer and s. Determining Cause and Effect What faster way to travel. impact did the Pax Mongolica have on the Silk Road?

t(J Applying Geography to History Directions: Read the information about the Silk Road and e~amine the map. Then answer the questions below. 6. Mapping Activity Think about the 1. Listing What-goods were traded along many products that you buy, such as the Silk Road? List at least five items. clothing, food, and ga,mes. Choose one product, and create a map or dia gram showing the route taken by that product to get to your home. Consider where the product was manufactured, the port or city at which it entered the United States, and the store where you bought it. If the product was made in the United States, it still may have made many stops within the country before arriving in your home.