Study Guide - Trade Routes

Classical Civilization Trade

Phoenician Trade The Phoenicians were an early trading civilization located in present day Lebanon and Syria along the Mediterranean. They produced various products, such as glass, papyrus scrolls, and dyes, and established trade across the entire Mediterranean Sea. As their trade expanded, they setup colonies throughout this region. The Phoenicians developed an alphabet to keep track of their business dealings. This alphabet is the basis for the western alphabet of today. Phoenician trade is responsible for the great exchange of ideas and culture that occurred during this time period.

India Trade had occurred between India and the Middle East since the first people settled along the Indus River. After Alexander the Great conquered part of India in the 4th century BCE, he established a permanent trade route between India and the Mediterranean. By the 100s BCE, vast amounts of goods traveled from India into this region, such as textiles, gems, and various spices. This contributed to the new Hellenistic culture, which was a blending of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian ways of life. New trade routes were established both overland into central Asia and China, and across the seas into the Middle East, Egypt, East Africa, and Southeast Asia.

China The Han Dynasty established a trade route known as the Silk Road. This trade route reached as far as Mesopotamia, and was a main conduit for the exchange of goods and ideas between China and other civilizations. Over time the trade route reached 4,000 miles. Most merchants never traveled the entire route, but instead traded their goods at one of the many markets established along the way. China's main export for many centuries was silk, while in return they imported such goods as, glass, muslin, and various food products like cucumbers and grapes.

Roman Empire Extensive trade occurred throughout the Roman Empire during the Pax Romana. Products such as, Egyptian grain, African ivory and gold, and Indian cotton and spices moved freely across the empire. The Roman Empire also traded with the Chinese through the use of the Silk Road. Lots of cultural diffusion took place during this period.

During Age of Imperialism (1492-1700s)

Africa: In the 1400s, the Portuguese setup numerous forts and port cities along the east coast of Africa in hopes of establishing trade with the interior. They were unable to establish contact and ultimately failed. By the mid 1600s, the Dutch had established a settlement at Cape Town on the tip of Africa. This acted as a midway point for their trade with India. The Dutch that settled Cape Town were known as Boers. They either forced out, or enslaved most of the native Africans in this region.

Asia: In the 1500s, Portugal took control of the Indian trade network from the Muslims. They also captured and controlled important trade ports along the Indian coast. This resulted in Portugal controlling the spice trade for most of the 16th century. Portuguese power in this region declined due in part to their mistreatment of native people in India, and the disrespect shown to Indian religion and culture.

The Dutch took control from the Portuguese in the late 1500s. A group of wealthy merchants setup the Dutch East India Company in the early 1600s and became the dominant force in the Asian spice trade. Their power did not begin to decline until the 1700s.

The British and French formed their own East India Companies and competed for the lucrative spice trade during the 1700s. Britain and France both formed alliances with local princes and employed Sepoys, or Indian troops. In the end, the British East India Company forced France out and remained in control of the trade networks. Soon after, they became the real power in India.

Spain attempted to gain part of the Asian spice trade through its claim on the island chain known as the Philippines. The Spanish claimed the Philippines due to their discovery by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Spanish merchants and missionaries used these islands as a staging ground into Asia.

The Americas: After Christopher Columbus discovered the West Indies, Spain began a program of imperialism and colonialism in the Americas. Spain sent over Conquistadors, or conquerors who secured the region for exploitation. Some Conquistadors were motivated by the search gold and glory, while others wanted to convert the natives to Christianity. Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico in 1519. Within two years he had conquered and destroyed the Aztec Empire. Francisco Pizarro arrived in South America in 1532, and accomplished the same feat against the Incas.

In North America, the Dutch, the French, and the British all competed for New World colonies. All three nations were searching for the mythical Northwest Passage, which would lead them to Asia. Unfortunately for them, it did not exist. But, they stayed and began establishing colonies for trade and settlement. In the 1600s, the French settled Canada. They established a string of forts from the St. Lawrence river all the way to Louisiana. In 1607, the British established its first permanent settlement at Jamestown in Virginia. Over the next 100 years, large numbers of British would settle along the eastern coast of North America. This resulted in the death and displacement of the native population. The Dutch established a trading post called New Amsterdam, but were eventually forced out by the British, and New Amsterdam became New York.

Triangle Trade and Slavery

As colonies in the Americas grew, so did the need for cheap, reliable labor. At first, European settlers attempted to enslave Native Americans. This was a failure because Native Americans were unsuited to plantation work. Also, it was easy for them to escape and return to their people. Europeans then turned to Africa for its labor source. Starting in the 1500s, large numbers of Africans were bought and transported to the Americas for agricultural work. This trade eventually became very large and profitable and was known as the Triangle Trade due to goods and people moving from Europe to Africa to the Americas. The slave trade resulted in the African Diaspora, which is the large, forced migration of millions of people.

African Trading Kingdoms

The African Trading Kingdoms consist of three main cultures, Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, all located in West Africa. All three kingdoms maintained vast trading networks across the Sahara desert and into the Middle East and North Africa. The main export was gold, which made each kingdom wealthy and strong, and provided them with the conditions necessary for cultural and intellectual achievement

Islamic Influences Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were all influenced by Islam to different degrees. The kings of Ghana often had Islamic advisors, while Mali and Songhai established Islamic Empires after converting. In Mali, the emperor Mansa Musa was famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the Five Pillars of Islam. This pilgrimage gained Mali closer ties with the Islamic world, and increased trade and cultural diffusion between Mali and the Muslim Empire.

Spread of Ideas During the 1400s, Timbuktu became a center of learning under the leadership of Mali emperor, Mansa Musa. Again, this is the influence of Islam, with Islamic scholars traveling from around the Muslim world to study and teach and the University of Timbuktu. This interaction helped to spread ideas about Africa to the outside world.

Commerce (Business) Ghana, Mali, and Songhai established trade routes that were in use for centuries. Early trade networks were setup inside of Africa. As these networks grew and became more prosperous, they expanded to include the Mediterranean and then eventually Europe. Trade goods included gold, salt, cooper, iron, various minerals, and agricultural products. A negative effect of this interaction was the start of the slave trade, when Europeans needed a cheap, reliable labor source for their New World colonies.

Migrations Many migrations occurred throughout Africa. This resulted in a diversity of cultures across the continent as ideas and beliefs were spread. African cultures included hunter-gatherers, fishers, farmers, and cattle herders.

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the early 19th century before spreading to Belgium, France, Germany, the United States and Japan. It was a fundamental change in the way goods were produced, and altered the way people lived. A result of the Industrial Revolution was a movement of people and goods all around the world as global trade and migrations increased.

Trade A major result of the Industrial Revolution was an increase in global trade. Many industrial countries sought new markets for their goods, and raw materials from which to make those goods. A result of this increase in trade was imperialism of Africa, India, China, and much of the rest of Asia. New methods of transportation, such as steamships, railroads, automobiles, and eventually airplanes made this trade much quicker and more reliable.

Migrations Between 1845 and 1900, a wave of global migrations occurred as a result of improvements in transportation, population growth, and the various social, political, and economic conditions present throughout the world. Many different European ethnic groups fled to the United States after the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, including Poles escaping the Russians, and Germans escaping an oppressive government. Italians also emigrated to America in large numbers, many seeking the promise of better wages and living conditions. Eastern European Jews fled to the west to escape Russian anti-Semitism.

Potato Famine Ireland experienced a famine in 1845 when their main crop, potatoes, was destroyed by disease. Irish farmers grew other food items, such as wheat and oats, but Great Britain required them to export those items to them, leaving nothing for the Irish to live on. As a result, over 1 million Irish died of starvation or disease, while millions of others migrated to the United States.

Globalization - Modern Trade

A wave of new global migrations took place during the 20th century as people moved from poorer nations to wealthier in hopes of finding work and better living conditions. Others migrated to escape oppressive governments and almost certain death. The world also became economically closer as nations began to depend on each other more through commerce. The result was large scale cultural diffusion and a blurring of ethnic differences in many parts of the world.

Migrations During the latter half of the 20th century, many people emigrated to Germany and France from economically poorer nations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Both countries had very liberal immigration policies that not only allowed people in, but also provided human service for them until they could find work. Many of these immigrants found employment as manual laborers, as the native populations of both Germany and France took jobs in management and technology. Both countries have experienced problems resulting from their immigration policies, as immigrants compete for economic resources.

In the United States, immigration increased dramatically during the 1980s and 1990s. Most new immigrants to America come from either Latin America or Asia. Motivations for immigration remain the same, searching for better economic opportunities and a better way of life. Many immigrants in the United States are there illegally. The U.S. government has tried to stop the wave of illegal immigrants entering the country, but has so far been unsuccessful.

Global Trade and Interdependence New advances in communications and a growing world market for goods and technology have brought many nations closer economically. Nations also have become interdependent as a result. Industrialized nations depend on oil from around the world. This has translated into political and economic power for oil rich nations, such as those in the Middle East. A rise in oil prices results in an increase in the price of goods across the board. This can have a devastating effect on the economies of both industrialized nations, and on poor nations unable to afford goods due to inflation.

Regional cooperation among nations is another example of interdependence. Organizations like the European Union and The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, cooperate economically by lowering trade barriers, such as, tariffs, to encourage commerce between member nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico is another example of this type of cooperation. On a larger scale, many western companies have formed partnerships with companies in economically poorer nations as a way of generating more business. The downside to these multinational companies is that they often out compete local business in poorer nations.

Overall, the world has become a smaller place economically as global trade and interdependence have increased. It has also become smaller through the mass migrations that have resulted in sharing of culture and ideas among the peoples of the world.