Trade Routes circa 1500 CE Big Idea Trade

Trade Routes circa 1500 CE

Big Idea • Trade routes were a major way of spreading technologies, products, and ideas around the world, especially in the Eastern Hemisphere. This spread is known as cultural diffusion.

The Silk Roads

Location: Silk road stretches from China through Middle East up to Europe

Products Traded Paper Porcelain Spices Textiles (silks)

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Ideas: Buddhism from China to Korea and Japan • Technologies: printing, paper money, compass all spread to Western Europe

Maritime Indian Ocean

Location: stretches across the Indian Ocean

Products Traded Spices Textiles Gems

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Ideas: Hinduism and Buddhism into Southeast Asia • Technologies: Lateen sail, new crops like sugar making

Trans. Saharan

Location: across Northern Africa

Products Traded Gold Salt

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Ideas: Islam spread to North Africa through camel caravans

North Europe (Black Sea)

Location: links Northern Europe to the Black Sea (Constantinople)

Products Traded Amber Gems Textiles

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Technologies: waterwheels and windmills came out of the Middle East and into Europe

Western Europe

Location: along seas and rivers in Western Europe

Products Traded Textiles

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Technologies: waterwheels and windmills came out of the Middle East and into Europe

South China Sea

Location: South and East China Seas

Products Traded Spices Textiles (silks)

Ideas/Technologies Spread • Ideas: Buddhism from China to Korea and Japan