Chapter 7,8, and 10

COMMERCE AND CULTURE, 500-1500

Reading chapter seven provided me with many insights from on how commercial exchange and religion helped change human societies for the better or the worst. From across the inner and outer Eurasia to the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Sahara, and the Western Hemisphere the trade became the economic trade of the century. I almost felt I was there. 

I really enjoyed Strayer introduction to chapter seven when he elaborates how commercial exchange has changed over the years.  Even today as new technology is being developed so is our products and transportation mode. Although we know from previous chapter the trade industry may not have been so developed as it was during the third millennium BCE In the early centuries of the Common Era the silk industry was on the rise. While the landmass of Eurasian was becoming one of the greatest industry of trade silk was being exchange amongst the various continent across Eurasia.  Several routes were created so that silk would be transported to the various inner and out skirts of Eurasia, Mongol Empire, west of Persian, Indian, Africa, and beyond China.

To my surprise little did I knew where silk actually came from. It was interesting to learn that silk was actually extracted from mulberry trees where silk worms would fed and leave their cocoons  As Silk Road industry prospered there were many people from different cultural background who took advantage of this great trade industry.  

Most labor was done by women, which they were depended on in order to tax the peasant, and proper from their labor. Due to high demand silk textile was heavily depended on.  Through the chapter in certain parts of the Eurasian industry, Southeast Asia, Indian ocean, Eastern Africa, and the middle east women were use as slaves, but to my astonished I learn that very few women were considered powerful in certain parts of the region such as Angkor Wat were they served as gladiators, warriors, initiated divorce, able to own property with their spouse, and they were more concerned with commerce. Although today we see women rising in our century it was amazing to know that women were consider warrior in other parts of the world as they were consider in the Amazon.

 Religion was another role in the outlet of cultural. Buddhism while on the road became quite a preferred religion. While monks were on the road it brought new religion to the trans Eurasian, Central Asia took Buddhism as part of their religion. Muslim was another preferred religion across East Africa, India; Catholicism was not as preferred amongst these regions.

The Plague

Disease was a huge factor, which was caused by the trade industry. The plague such as smallpox, measles, bubonic plague caused many deaths.  Byzantium and the Mongols were affected the most which caused a high rise of death and weaken them from military reveries or revenues. It took many years before human became acclimated to such disease and be able to fight off what was once consider a deadly disease.  Now we have to worry about new one that keep arising in our century such as cancer, malaria, and HIV.

Sea Road

Just as the Silk Road industry prospered so did the sea road it too had the same effect of transporting good, with the only differences of high capacity due to the ships. The sea world provided a new technology by traveling to distance places across the Eastern Hemisphere.  Transportation was cheaper due to the bulk of products they were able to transport as compare to the Silk Road who were only able to transport smaller amount of good.  For instance the Indian Ocean represented the world’s largest trade stretching from China to the far east of Africa.  Even today our trade is highly dependent over the sea roads.  What took perhaps a week to travel by horse, donkey, and camels it now only took a few days to transport goods.  Let’s not forget the train industry, Airplanes; postal service has brought about a new ways of transportation within each region.

Well, this brings some of the interesting topic from chapter 7. I will be addressing chapter 8 and 10 soon. Have a great day!