The Silk Road
Historically, most international trade between Europe and Asia was conducted on overland routes such as the Silk Road. This route started overland across China and Asia and finished by ship across the Mediterranean Sea. In the fifteenth century a new all-water route to Asia was discovered around Cape Horn. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans became the dominant trade routes to Asia. And then the Suez Canal opened in the 19th century restoring the Mediterranean as an important part of the trading system.
Trade between the old Silk Road partners still moves by ship today because it is a practical and less costly means of moving goods long distances. Modern container ships are the foundation of international trade, carrying large quantities of heavy goods. It is impossible to imagine automobiles or oil moving in any other way. Within certain areas such as North America and Europe, goods move overland primarily on trains and trucks because these are more convenient and flexible means of shipping.
Why do you think they called these routes The Silk Road? It's because silk was a valuable commodity and a widely traded good during those times.
Even though airplanes also offer a shipping option, few goods are shipped by air. Airlifting large quantities of goods from one country to another for the grocery store shelves, for example, would simply be too costly. Air freight is used when time is critical - primarily for military and humanitarian uses.
There is an intimate connection between the growth of civilizations and the trade between them. Few phrases capture our imagination as the phrase "The Silk Road" does. It was not only silk that drew traders and travelers along that dusty route. Curiosity about other people and other ways of living surely motivated many to embark on the journey over the centuries.
Moving into the 21st century, how do you think e-commerce compares to more traditional methods of trading? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Will it last as long as the Silk Road method?
The trade routes that used to link China to Europe and Western Asia were called 'The Silk Road'. Contrary to popular belief, there was not just one road; there were several. However, all the routes from the east end started at Changan, China. Changan was the capital of China at the time and it is now called Xian. One of the world's oldest and historically most important trade routes, the Silk Road evolved over a period of many years. The western routes were developed earlier than the eastern routes about the third century BC.
From the name, one might think that the only commodity exported from China was silk. However, there were many other products traded along this route. The traders from the West bought furs, beautiful ceramics, jade, objects made of bronze or lacquer, and iron. When silk was introduced to the Romans, it quickly became a very popular fabric because it was attractive and very soft to the touch. The Chinese traders bought glass from the West because glass was not produced in China until the fifth century AD. They also bought gold and other metals, ivory, and other items from the West.
Interestingly, silk and other material objects were not the most important item that traveled along The Silk Road. Because of The Silk Road's existence, Buddhism was passed along from India to China. The tombs of the early travelers give us an excellent idea of their lives through their art. In the early seventh century AD, Christians established their first church at Changan.
Have you traveled to any of these regions? What were they like? If not, do you think you would like to visit?
The territory the Silk Road trade routes passed through was geographically very inhospitable. Much of the territory is part of the Taklimakan desert, which has one of the most unfriendly climates in the world. 'Taklimakan' means 'Land of Death.' The extremely hot summers and cold winters combined with terrible sandstorms and few water resources made traveling very difficult for the early traders. Surrounding the Taklimakan desert are other areas of extreme climates. The Gobi desert is located northeast of Taklimakan, and three high and dangerous mountain ranges lie to the south: the Himalayas, Karakorum and Kunklun. Northwest of the Taklimakan are two more mountain ranges, the Tianshan and Pamir. The easiest route, although still very difficult, is to the east along the 'Gansu Corridor'.
The environment was not the only hardship early traders endured. They also fought the bandits who appeared at many places along the routes. Many people were killed by the bandits. In fact, on the routes from east to west, the materials might take many years to reach their western destinations because the materials traded hands many times along the way.
Historically, most international trade between Europe and Asia was conducted on overland routes such as the Silk Road. This route started overland across China and Asia and finished by ship across the Mediterranean Sea. In the fifteenth century a new all-water route to Asia was discovered around Cape Horn. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans became the dominant trade routes to Asia. And then the Suez Canal opened in the 19th century restoring the Mediterranean as an important part of the trading system.
Trade between the old Silk Road partners still moves by ship today because it is a practical and less costly means of moving goods long distances. Modern container ships are the foundation of international trade, carrying large quantities of heavy goods. It is impossible to imagine automobiles or oil moving in any other way. Within certain areas such as North America and Europe, goods move overland primarily on trains and trucks because these are more convenient and flexible means of shipping.
Why do you think they called these routes The Silk Road? It's because silk was a valuable commodity and a widely traded good during those times.
Even though airplanes also offer a shipping option, few goods are shipped by air. Airlifting large quantities of goods from one country to another for the grocery store shelves, for example, would simply be too costly. Air freight is used when time is critical - primarily for military and humanitarian uses.
There is an intimate connection between the growth of civilizations and the trade between them. Few phrases capture our imagination as the phrase "The Silk Road" does. It was not only silk that drew traders and travelers along that dusty route. Curiosity about other people and other ways of living surely motivated many to embark on the journey over the centuries.
Moving into the 21st century, how do you think e-commerce compares to more traditional methods of trading? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Will it last as long as the Silk Road method?
The trade routes that used to link China to Europe and Western Asia were called 'The Silk Road'. Contrary to popular belief, there was not just one road; there were several. However, all the routes from the east end started at Changan, China. Changan was the capital of China at the time and it is now called Xian. One of the world's oldest and historically most important trade routes, the Silk Road evolved over a period of many years. The western routes were developed earlier than the eastern routes about the third century BC.
From the name, one might think that the only commodity exported from China was silk. However, there were many other products traded along this route. The traders from the West bought furs, beautiful ceramics, jade, objects made of bronze or lacquer, and iron. When silk was introduced to the Romans, it quickly became a very popular fabric because it was attractive and very soft to the touch. The Chinese traders bought glass from the West because glass was not produced in China until the fifth century AD. They also bought gold and other metals, ivory, and other items from the West.
Interestingly, silk and other material objects were not the most important item that traveled along The Silk Road. Because of The Silk Road's existence, Buddhism was passed along from India to China. The tombs of the early travelers give us an excellent idea of their lives through their art. In the early seventh century AD, Christians established their first church at Changan.
Have you traveled to any of these regions? What were they like? If not, do you think you would like to visit?
The territory the Silk Road trade routes passed through was geographically very inhospitable. Much of the territory is part of the Taklimakan desert, which has one of the most unfriendly climates in the world. 'Taklimakan' means 'Land of Death.' The extremely hot summers and cold winters combined with terrible sandstorms and few water resources made traveling very difficult for the early traders. Surrounding the Taklimakan desert are other areas of extreme climates. The Gobi desert is located northeast of Taklimakan, and three high and dangerous mountain ranges lie to the south: the Himalayas, Karakorum and Kunklun. Northwest of the Taklimakan are two more mountain ranges, the Tianshan and Pamir. The easiest route, although still very difficult, is to the east along the 'Gansu Corridor'.
The environment was not the only hardship early traders endured. They also fought the bandits who appeared at many places along the routes. Many people were killed by the bandits. In fact, on the routes from east to west, the materials might take many years to reach their western destinations because the materials traded hands many times along the way.
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