World Trade Routes

Europe

Mediterranean

Silk Road

Red Sea

Persian Gulf

Indian Ocean I, II, III

Trans-Saharan

• Revitalized Silk Road• Expanded military

presence to the west• Introduction of “Flying

Money” (credit), deposit shops (banks), paper money, and guilds

• Construction of Grand Canal

• Industrial revolutionPaper money – Song China

The Silk Road

• Establishment of Trans-Saharan trade route (gold-salt)

• Spread of Islam into sub-Saharan Africa

• Rise of Timbuktu and Jenne as trade cities

• Use of Niger RiverSalt slabs to be traded for gold

• Early medieval period Most trade localLack of coinsPolitical instability –

invasions by Vikings, Muslims, Magyars

Market in medieval Paris

• Middle AgesAgricultural

advances = population growth = rise of towns = rise of trade and merchant / artisan classes

Regional fairs

Medieval European Farmers

Development of Guilds

Development of capital and banks

Rise of Flanders

European Guilds

Rise of Hanseatic LeagueTrade union of Northern

European city-states (over 100 cities joined)

Fight off pirates, other states, create trade monopoly

Resulted in large middle-class

Set precedent for large trade operations later used by Dutch and English

European Trade

Hanseatic League

• Location astride major trade routes

• State regulated silk trade (silkworms stolen from China)

• Trade concessions to foreigners

• Trade competition with Venice and other Italian city-states Constantinople

• AztecsLong-distance trade under special groupTribute redistribution inhibited

development of true markets

• IncasLittle to no long-distance tradeTribute and self-sufficiency inhibited

development of markets

• Included Swahili coast (East Africa), Red Sea, Persian Gulf, India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia (China)

• Dependence on monsoon winds

• Spice trade

• Use of “circuits” or “zones” – rules of transport

• Role of Arabs (Islam) and Portuguese

• Byzantines – location, location, location

• Dominance of Italian city-states (Venice and Genoa)

• Muslims

• Impact of crusades

• Black Sea / Russia - Vikings