The Silk Roads were land-based trade routes that linked Eurasia. The Silk Road contact led to people being exposed to unfamiliar diseases. They weren't really immune to the diseases and had very little effective methods of dealing with them. The spread of some particularly virulent epidemic diseases lead to death on a larger scale. A prime example of this occurred in the fourteenth century, when the Black Death swept away nearly one-third of the population in Europe, China, and the Middle East. The Black Death identified variously with bubonic plague, anthrax, or a package of epidemic diseases. In the long run, the exchange of diseases gave Europeans a certain advantage when, after 1500, they confronted the peoples of the Western Hemisphere,
Have you ever wondered what it was like to travel across the country to get what you want? The Silk Road was a treacherous journey that spanned from Asia all the way to Rome. People carried their countries goods in large caravans to exchange them with other people across the country. The Silk Road helped people get what they want by traveling there. The Silk Road took a huge part in history because it helped a number of cultures get closer to each other and share part of them, for example traditions and beliefs. The Silk Road was a difficult and dangerous trek, eventually traders found out the Silk Road increased the kingdom’s economy and the wealth of an individual. In addition, it spread culture, ideas and goods.
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Even though the first world system had its advantages opening opportunities for trade resulted in the exchange of a wide variety of goods, cultural and religious practices but it also came with a plague; it brought diseases. The bubonic was devastating to the population of India, China, Europe and Western Asia. These diseases were carried/spread through fleas on the camels, horses, mules and other animals along the land routes established by the Mongols eventually reaching the Black Sea. Rats were also carriers of the fleas and would board the ships. The ships would then travel to Egypt, Italy and eventually all of Europe carrying this plague.
During the second and third C.E, the trade routes at the time brought destructive diseases such as smallpox, measles, and the bubonic plague. It is
In the Han and Roman Empires, circa 200-300 C.E., epidemic diseases traveled on the silk roads by animals and people to these empires which resulted in dramatic population drops which resulted in political, economic, and social consequences. While the silk roads spread products and religions, it also spread highly contagious diseases. These diseases would come along on fruits and animals. As a result in the spread of the diseases, huge population drops occurred. In the Roman Empire, disease epidemics reduced the population by as much as one-quarter.
From the Mediterranean, the Bubonic plague spread along the Indian Ocean and from the Indian Ocean, it spread to China. As the Bubonic plague spread to China, it became very easy to keep spreading along the Silk Road, and eventually hit Europe where the deadliest “Black Death” occurred in 1347. This plague killed approximately 25-35 million people, which made up a third of the human population. This whole thing began when the Mongols launched an attack on the Italian merchant’s last trading station in the region. Then in 1346, plague broke out among the besiegers and from them entered into the town. Later attempting to flee the plague, the Italian merchants fled to their ships, unknowingly carrying the diseases with them. The diseases were also spread from place to place by fleas on rats, or other kinds of rodents who traveled along these trade routes. The Indian Ocean and Silk Road are similar in that the Bubonic Plague spread throughout both trade networks because since trade was very popular and happened all the time, people unknowingly would catch the disease from one place, only to be spreading it to their next stop, causing it to spread across the regions very
The Silk Road was not a single road, it was an entire network of trade routes connecting China and many other countries throughout Asia and the Middle East. This network acquired its name from the beautiful, fine desired silk fabrics from China although it was not called the Silk Road till later in 1877 by Ferdinand von Richthofen. The Silk Road stenches 4000 miles from China to Europe although the path stenches that far people almost never make the whole trip for the road had varying paths to stop on and hidden dangers. The Silk Road was a major accomplishment for ancient China because it allowed the spread of culture, technologies, goods and customs to the Middle East even as far as Egypt. The same was true for customs and traditions coming
Between 500-1500 CE, four major trade routes were developed; the Silk Roads, Sea Roads, Sand Roads, and the American Web. The Silk Roads linked China to the west and led to the intense spread of religions and ideas, and the Sea Roads connected the Eastern Hemisphere and improved long distance trade. The Silk Roads and the Sea Roads were similar in that they both assisted the spread of disease and the spread of cultural traditions, but different in what goods were traded along the routes. Before all the cross-cultural interaction on the trade routes, people had only been introduced to the diseases that developed in their area, which led to the development of immunity. This is because they were only communicating with people within their civilizations, rather than traveling across the continent to experience different environments and bacteria. But, due to the Silk Roads and the Sea Roads, new diseases (such as the measles and smallpox) were presented to them, which had many consequences. For one, since so many people were dying, it led to economic stagnation. This means that there were fewer people producing goods and making money for the states and empires which led to the fall of some civilizations because there weren’t enough funds to sustain them. A solution to this problem would be to demand higher wages. Another effect was that the power of elites was weakened. This was because the people who supported them were getting infected. Diseases, such as the Black Death and the Bubonic Plague, introduced a new way of fighting. The Mongols used the plagues to their advantage by taking the dead bodies and throwing them into enemy territory. This was known as biological warfare. While the diseases had a big impact on societies, they weren’t the only thing being spread. Cultural traditions and religions were shared along the Silk Roads and Sea Roads as well. Buddhism and Islam played a big part in changing societies, but they weren’t the only ones that spread. Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Manichaeism were also connecting to different parts of the world. These religions were used to comfort those in the time of need due to the fact that they allowed them to develop a routine that they believed would lead to
Long distance trade and intense interaction between major centers of population because of which contact among different human communities was increased through seaborne and land routes trade. Along with traded goods some hidden animals like rats that contains disease helped travelling of diseases through Silk Road. This led to transfer of contiguous and unfamiliar diseases from one part to another that is why Silk Road was considered perfect transmitter of diseases.
Silk was an important item that was traded and began during the Han Dynasty. The Silk Road was a network of trade routes and the first marketplace that allowed people to spread beliefs and cultural ideas across Europe and Asia. Merchants and traders of many countries traveled technologies, diseases and religion on the Silk Road; connecting the West and East. They also imported horses, grapes, medicine products, stones, etc. and deported apricots, pottery and spices. The interaction of these different cultures created a cultural diffusion. The road consisted of vast and numerous trade routes that went between China and Europe.
The effect of the silk roads was very positive and constructive to the classical civilization. To begin, before the silk road was established long distance trade was dangerous because the merchants traveling would often get mugged by pirates or bandits. The cost of exotic goods was also fairly high due to the dangers of travelling to and from cities. After creating the silk road however merchants were able to safely travel from point A to point B without being pillaged. This lead to the growing number of merchants and the lowering of prices. Another reason the silk roads were a positive and constructive force was that they spread disease throughout Eurasia and Northern Africa. Even though the spread of epidemics is seriously frowned upon and
Many disease played a primary role in the culture in the years of the 14th to 16th century. However, there was not a cure for the disease in the Europe, but so many unanswered questions how the disease changed the different culture? Although, the Europe died from the Black Death disease; unlike they begin to have faith in God because they believed that their sins were being judged by God and the economic influences-example “Gun, Germs, and Steel” people lifestyle changed with better health such as food produce, immunity of germs and use of steel and domestication of animals. The Europe traveled to America not aware that spreading to the America people. The disease changed the culture, such as the geography and environment-crops and raising
The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that connected the East to the West. The items that were traded for were silk, spices, jade and even, opium. Another parasite hung onto the rats that boarded the ships, caravans, and horses all the way across the route. The plague had traveled across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. As the plague progressed towards Europe, travelers heard stories of people getting sick and developing black bumps on their bodies but, only to die in a matter of days (Benedictow, 2013). These stories gave evidence that the Silk Road was the main source of travel for the infested rats. The transmission of disease grew further as fleas began to lay on the furs of the infected rats. This allowed the fleas to
In the era of third-wave civilizations, major migrations, communication and exchange networks occured and flourished. However, there are advantages and disadvantages that go along with it. The Silk Roads flourished as it was major trade-routes across Eurasia where luxury goods such as silk was traded. However, the communication across the trade route resulted in diseases spreading and many deaths. “ Smallpox and measles devastated the populations of both empires, contributing to their political collapse”(323) The Silk Road connected the Roman Empire to the Han Dynasty, however with the communication of the two empires, the disease traveled with them along with the deaths of others. This environmental disadvantage was caused by the
The Silk Road was an intricate and evolving network of overland trade routes that linked China, India, and western Eurasia for centuries. The trade route was key to the diffusion and transportation of technology, goods, religions, and language throughout Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa and southern Europe. As the strongest link between major population centers in the largest landmass on earth, the Silk Road was one of the most important of all long-distance trade routes in human history.