Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, & Trans-Saharan Routes [AP World History Review]—Unit 2 Topics 1, 3, 4

The Silk Roads00:00:29

The land-based Silk Roads flourished under large empires like the Mongols. While luxury goods like Chinese silk were primary commodities, the route also facilitated major cultural exchanges, such as the spread and syncretism of Mahayana Buddhism, and the transmission of diseases like the Black Death.

Indian Ocean Trade Routes00:03:30

Indian Ocean maritime trade allowed for the movement of bulk goods alongside luxuries due to larger ship capacities. Facilitated by monsoon winds and innovations like the compass and astrolabe, this network saw massive growth, supporting the rise of the Srivijaya Kingdom and the Swahili city-states.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes00:07:00

The 'Sand Roads' connected North Africa to West Africa, made viable by the introduction of the Arabian camel. These routes spurred the development of West African states, most notably the Kingdom of Mali, which established a complex social hierarchy and generated revenue through the taxation of trade goods like salt and gold.