preview

Ap World History Compare and Contrast Essay Indian Ocean Trade vs. Silk Road

Decent Essays

Anonymous Unit 4 During the period of 600- 1450, the eastern hemisphere was connected through many trading routes. Although both the IOT and SR resulted in immense wealth being created, the IOT promoted islam through its ocean voyages and the SR supported Christianity through the overland routes, and it had more drastic effects on society. The SR and IOT were profiting in immense wealth due to being exclusive traders. When the Crusaders or the Christian knights from Western Europe came to the ME, in order to claim back their holy city Jerusalem, they were awed in wonder as they saw how spices came and went, and the transfusion of many enlightening ideas took place. They witnessed Arabic numerals, philosophical ideas, and even …show more content…

Saffron proved to be an equally important trade because of the high value that was placed on it. Not only did it add intense and wonderful flavor to food, but during a time where there were no refrigerators, saffron helped preserve food. Slaves, another major source of trade, had the strongest influence since they were the most valuable “goods” and they were the most traded/bought goods. Slavery not only played a key factor then, but would do so in centuries to follow as well. The SR promoted the influence of Christianity, mostly because its final destination was Rome. After the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, a large portion of Rome did so as well, resulting in Rome becoming a Catholic state. After many goods arrived in Rome, from places as far as China, cultural diffusion occurred as a result. Also, the Crusaders influenced the road as they ventured on recapturing Jursalem. In the SR, the major goods that were traded were silk and porcelain from China, and horses from Persia. Silk, of all the goods listed, was the most important, not only because of its value, but also its quality, which resulted in the SR being called the “SR”. However, extremely unlike like the IOT, the SR had a disastrous effect due to Mongols passing off a disease called “Black Death”. It had a

Get Access