Around 1450-1700 Western Europe expanded their Atlantic trade. They began exploring other parts of the world, and even building colonies in some of these places. They began to explore Africa as well as the Americas. Western Europe gained many things from this new land, which they were able to use in order to enhance their own economy. Western Europe’s expansion of Atlantic trade, through exploration and colonization, not only improved their own economy, but also the economy of America, through sharing new trade products and crops as well as beginning the slave trade.
The Silk Road and the Saharan Caravan trade routes had many differences and similarities in their development and the impact on the civilizations they made. They were comparable and diverse in many areas of society such as: the development of the empire and how it all began, architecture and writing that was developed, and the spread of religion throughout the region between 300 BCE – 600 CE. The Silk Road developed between 300 BCE and 600 CE. This is because of HOW the Silk Road began and started to develop quickly throughout the world. The major step towards development of the Silk Road was because of the Chinese Emperor Wu Di.
DBQ: Patterns of Trade from 1000-1450 Between the years 1000 and 1450, trade networks throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia were established and thriving. European and Muslim influence was working its way into Africa and China via the world trade network. Of course, these contacts from trade left cultural consequences in the areas they assimilated in to. The documents allude to Muslims having a greater influence and cultural impression on their contacts than the Europeans did on theirs, who emphasized religious conversion and admiring the goods and cultures that interested them. An additional document from the perspective of an African or Asian merchant would be useful, as the documents given only showed perceptions from Europeans or Muslims.
Many aspects of the African and American economies remained unchanged by maintaining an agrarian based economy. As trade began to increase between Europe, the Americas, and Africa, many social transformations began to take place. The national monarchs that lived within Western Europe wanted to increase their power and began to look for more trade routes to increase their wealth. This rise in trading led to the growth of the middle class in Western Europe. The middle class developed because the increase of trading opened up room for specialized workers Along with the growth of the middle class bankers, capitalists, and other occupations also began to develop.
Muslim traders advanced and took control of established trade routes on both of the continents, according to Muslim Trade Networks, in order to expand the network of trade they already possessed. The established trade routes explain why Baghdad was chosen by the Abbasids as the capital and why the Sahara desert was not considered an obstacle in the eyes of the Arabs. They describe the many routes that Muslims had to other continents and cities so that trade and religion could unite the vast empire as said in Muslim Trade Networks. The Muslim trade routes made up a true “network” because it was connected over vast amounts of land and conquests. “Under the Abbasids, the center of the Moslem world was the city of Baghdad…not chosen by inadvertence…” says Document A.
Wealth was gained from the Mediterranean trade, Silk Road, manufactured goods, and the colonization of land benefitted the empires greatly. The wealth helped establish cities and capitals, promoting economic and social change, and it was also distributed through the elites down to the other classes. The elites in the Han were able to afford silk garments, eat pork, drink aged wine, and buy more land from the poor. Also due to the wealth of expanding of the iron and silk industries, they were able to invent paper, which enable Chinese scribes to write more, and were less expansive than silk. The distinction the rich and poor hardened as the economy went up.
This change brought about more benefit for both regions. It allowed both regions to thrive as it relates to the process of trading, and to help their respective region to advance and gain more resources to aid them in military events as well as their everyday lives. Inversely, this extension of areas of trade benefited the new area they were trading with, by aiding them in the advancement and industrialization of their country. So, this change really was beneficial (much like it was for the Silk Road in China), not only for the Mediterranean region and West Africa, but also for the region that they were now trading
Britain also established companies in India and Africa. Due to the trade between the colonies via the companies, Britain started to generate a large consistent income. Mercantilist policies were introduced shortly after 1680. A factor that led to Britain gaining its reputation and wealth were that it established a strong connection with its merchants. The merchants were happy to trade with Britain as a policy of Britain was to protect its clients.
CCOT Essay Trade has and always will be an important part of the global economy. Trade flourished with the creation of the Silk Road and the colonization of the Americas. Many organizations have been created to regulate or exploit trade, such as the Hanseatic League and the East Indian Trading Company. Between 650 and 1750 C.E, trade and commerce in the Indian Ocean region witnessed changes like the dominance of trade and population; it also stayed the same in the sense that religion was used and goods were in demand. Over time, commerce in the Indian Ocean region witnessed changes in trade dominance and population.
Trade has a large role in the development of a civilization as it leads to cultural diffusion and the spread of many religions. Trade routes that greatly impacted the development of a civilization. In the beginning of the Classical Era to 1450 C.E the Mediterranean trade routes and the Indian Ocean trade routes greatly impacted the development of Afro-Eurasia. There was an imense amount of cultural diffusion in both the Mediterranean and Indian trade routes, which led to the growth and advancements of civilizations. One example of the impact cultural diffusion haad in the Ondian Ocean was in the realm of mathematics.