The Silk Road

March 7, 2013 Humanities The Silk Road Rome_____________Central Asia______________Han China | India The Nomads The Silk Road crossed nomadic territory Extreme Agriculture: humans + omega animals Sparce population in a large area Calorie Exchange: 90,000 calories * Plants- 100,000 calories * Animals- 10,000 calories Horse= mobility No borders (territorial imperative )= pastures War; Secure pastures Archery Who are they? Scythians Altaic people * Turks * Mongols * Koreans * Japanese Contributions to history Chariots (HORSE)-harness on the withers /bit (light cart, drive-by{bronze tires}) * Cavalry –mounted archer (they move in hordes ) Artificial symbiosis +Trade * (population pressure and supplemental income) Population Crisis The Silk Road- 100 BCE-300CE Trade is going to increase population above what the herds can feed Central Asia becomes fully occupied Plagues hit Rome + China * Defenses collapse * Trade ends Switch to Raid Mongols: Xiong- Nu Han Wudi (Conqueror) his actio ns created the Silk Road (100 BCE) Xiong-Nu Split into two wings Eastern Wing: allies of the HanWestern Wing marched away Chinese Court ; paralyzed/ Dynastic Cycle Warlords- Mongol Soldiers (fatal error- introduced to China) Turks; Conquer North China Horse/Rice Western Xiong-Nu Pushed west + hit the Goths (Scandinavia) Germans Tribal Groups Nuclear Family (industry) Extended families (agriculture) Clan (hunting + gathering: 7th cousin) Tribe -multiple clans-totem/incest( totems are animals that represent your essence)- it’s a pastoral system Next generation will need an election. Warriors are going to vote. Germans flee west Visigoths – yr 409 Rome Ostragoths- Italy The Franks- FranceThe Danes- Denmark The juts- Jutland (the neck of denmark) Burgundian- Burgundy Angles- England Saxons- Saxony Vandals- Vandalism-453 Rome Alemmani- germany The old trade routes I. Trade Nodals A. Nodal= Cluster of cities B. Nodal #1 : Flanders (belgium) 1. Ghent 2. Ypres 3. Bruges Countr y/count C. Rhine D. North Italy= Nodal # 2 4. Milan 5. Venice 6. Genoa 7. PISA 8. Florence They’re all city-states Network cities because they survive on trade network-crossbow Gun powder/ cannon E. Mediterranean 9. Constantinople (Changes name to instanbul) 10. Alexandria 11. Tunis * * * *