#AP World History: Modern - Unit 2: Networks of Exchange (1200-1450) 🌍

Hey there, future AP World History master! 👋 This guide is your express ticket to acing Unit 2, focusing on the awesome world of trade networks between 1200 and 1450. Let's dive in!

#🧭 Overview: Trade Takes Center Stage

Unit 2 is all about how global trade boomed during the post-classical era. While Unit 1 covered political structures, this unit explores the economic and cultural exchanges that shaped the world. Get ready to explore the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan routes and their impacts. Remember: Trade is a HUGE deal in AP World History!

This unit is foundational for understanding later developments in global interaction. Pay close attention to the causes and effects of expanding trade networks.

#🛤️ Major Trade Routes

# 🛣️ Silk Roads

• What: A network of land and sea routes connecting East and West.
• Key Goods: Silk (obviously!), spices, gold, luxury items.
• Cultural Exchange: Spread of ideas, religions (like Buddhism), and technology.
• Decline: Declined in the 14th century due to the rise of sea trade.

# 🌊 Indian Ocean Trade Routes

• What: Sea routes connecting Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
• Key Goods: Spices, textiles, gold, luxury items.
• Cultural Exchange: Spread of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, along with tech and ideas.
• Decline: Declined in the 15th century with the rise of Atlantic trade.

# 🏜️ Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

• What: Land routes connecting West Africa with the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
• Key Goods: Gold, salt, ivory, and other luxury items.
• Cultural Exchange: Spread of Islam and other cultural ideas.
• Decline: Declined in the 16th century with the rise of Atlantic trade.

#🗺️ Context: From Classical to Post-Classical Trade

#Classical Era (600 BCE - 600 CE)

• Major trade routes like the Silk Roads and Indian Ocean routes existed, connecting empires like Rome, Han China, and the Mauryan and Gupta Empires.
• Facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas between these empires.

#Post-Classical Era (1200-1450)

• Expansion of existing trade networks.
• Rise of new empires like the Byzantine Empire, Abbasid Caliphate, and Majapahit, further boosting trade.
• New human connections and increased global interaction.

#Image From Freemanpedia.

#Image From Freemanpedia.

#📈 Effects of Increased Trade

#💰 Economic Impacts

• Empires relied on trade for growth and power.
• New financial tools like paper money emerged in China.
• Growth of trade empires like the Swahili Coast and Southeast Asian empires.
• Technological advancements like the saddle, dhows, and junks sped up trade.
• Growth of trade cities like Timbuktu and Samarkand.

#🎭 Cultural Impacts

• Trade facilitated the spread of religions like Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism through proselytization (active conversion).
• Technology spread from places like the Abbasid Caliphate and Song China to other regions.
• Inventions like the astrolabe, compass, and gunpowder had a huge impact.
• Travelers like Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo played a key role in cultural exchange.

#🦠 Environmental Impacts

• Food: Spread of bananas, citrus fruits, and Champa rice.
• Disease: The Bubonic Plague (Black Death) spread along trade routes, significantly impacting Europe.
• Use of animals like camels for trade.

#🎯 Main Events (1200-1450)

• 1095-1492: Crusades
• 1258 CE: Mongols sack Baghdad (end of Abbasid Caliphate)
• 1271 – 1295 CE: Marco Polo’s Travels
• 1279: Peak of Mongol and Pax Mongolica on the Silk Roads
• 1299-1921: Ottoman Empire
• 1324 CE: Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage
• 1325 – 1349 CE: Ibn Battuta’s Travels
• 1347 – 1348 CE: Bubonic Plague in Europe
• 1405 – 1433 CE: Zheng He’s voyages

#🔄 Major Trends (1200-1450)

• More Trade → Trade of Commercial Tech: Increased trade led to the exchange of commercial technologies.
• Examples of Commercial Technologies: Astrolabe, compass, caravanserai.
• New Commercial Tech → Commercial Growth: Innovations fueled further economic expansion.
• State Practices & Infrastructure: State practices and commercial infrastructure led to commercial growth (Grand Canals, Hanseatic League, Inca Road System).
• Expansion of Empires Through Trade: Empires like the Mongols, Islamic Empire, Byzantium, and Imperial China expanded through trade.
• Migration of People → Cross Exchange of Cultures: Migration led to the exchange of religions, military ideas, diseases, animals, farming techniques, and food.
• Examples of Migration: Bantu, Polynesian, Turk, and Arab migrations.

Here's a map of the Major Trade Routes to keep in mind throughout this unit!

#Image credit: apworldpedia.com

#💡 Final Exam Focus

• High-Priority Topics: The three major trade routes (Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan), their economic and cultural impacts, and the role of technology.
• Common Question Types:
  • Multiple Choice: Focus on specific trade goods, cultural exchanges, and the effects of trade on different regions.
  • Short Answer: Analyze the causes and effects of increased trade, comparing different trade routes.
  • Free Response: Evaluate the extent to which trade transformed societies, or compare the impact of trade on different regions.
• Time Management: Quickly identify the key terms in the question, and plan your response before you start writing. Focus on the specific prompt, and don't just write everything you know about trade.
• Common Pitfalls: Not connecting trade to broader historical developments, ignoring the environmental impacts, and not understanding the difference between classical and post-classical trade.

#📝 Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following was NOT a major trade good along the Silk Roads? (A) Silk (B) Spices (C) Gold (D) Slaves

2. The spread of which religion was most directly facilitated by the Indian Ocean trade routes? (A) Christianity (B) Buddhism (C) Islam (D) Judaism

3. The Bubonic Plague, which devastated Europe in the 14th century, originated in: (A) The Roman Empire (B) The Abbasid Caliphate (C) The Yuan Dynasty (D) The Byzantine Empire

Short Answer Question

Briefly explain ONE way in which the expansion of trade networks in the period 1200-1450 CE led to cultural exchange. Then, briefly explain ONE way in which the expansion of trade networks in the period 1200-1450 CE led to environmental change.

Free Response Question

Evaluate the extent to which the expansion of trade networks in the period 1200-1450 CE transformed societies in Afro-Eurasia.

• Thesis (1 point): A strong thesis should argue the degree to which trade transformed societies, such as a significant transformation or a limited transformation.
• Evidence (2 points): Provide at least two pieces of specific historical evidence that support your thesis. This might include specific trade goods, technologies, or cultural exchanges.
• Analysis (2 points): Analyze how the evidence supports your thesis. Explain the connections between trade and social change.
• Complexity (1 point): Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the topic. This could involve discussing multiple perspectives or acknowledging the limitations of the impact of trade.

#🎉 You've Got This!

Remember, you've covered a lot of ground, and now you're equipped with the knowledge and strategies to tackle Unit 2 with confidence. Keep reviewing, stay calm, and you'll do great! Let's get that 5! 💪