The Yo-Yo Ma Silk Road Project

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that extended from the Mediterranean to China. These trade routes nurtured the spread in religion, diseases, wealth, culture, and products. Buddhism became the dominant faith

Silk Roads - The Silk Roads were a network of trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce.

The Silk Road, a series of passageways connecting China with the Mediterranean completely changed the world. These series of trade routes allowed the advancement of technology and cultural diversity like never seen before. These routes connected many different civilizations allowing the exchange of goods and ideas. This variety of nationalities made it a “Cultural Bridge between Asia and Europe. ” Before these pathways were established trade was nearly impossible due to extreme desert conditions and high mountain tops. Many people died making the journey, even after the trade routes were established. So why make the trip? How did the Silk Road impact history?

From the view point of author James A. Millward, The Silk Road was more than caravans and tents, it was an ancient form of globalization, and it was more than just a one lane road. Millward brings up three points that solidify his point of view. Idea one is, "Yet the idea of the Silk Road-or silk roads-has come to mean many things beyond brocades and caravans, and in its broadest concept...it stands for the idea that humanity has thrived most when connected across its far-flung habits by the exchange of goods, ideas, art, and people." (Millward pg. 2) This brings to light the ideas that the Silk Road was more than just a one lane path of which silk fabric and pasta was traded along. Later in that same section Millward talks about when Hillary

The Silk Road, a series of passageways connecting China with the Mediterranean, completely changed the world. These trade routes allowed the advancement of technology and cultural diversity like never before seen. These routes connected many different civilizations allowing the exchange of goods and ideas. This variety of nationalities made it a “Cultural Bridge between Asia and Europe. ” Before these pathways were established trade was nearly impossible, due to extreme desert conditions and high mountain tops. Many people died making the journey, even after the trade routes were established. So why make the trip? How did the Silk Road impact history?

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

The Silk Road which have been known as a major trade route in the ‘old world’ and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. It brought the goods and the bads like the plagues, cultural diffusion, introduction of new technologies and brought new religions to different part of that world. The Silk Road shape the world we have

      The Silk Road happened around 300 BCE and happened through Europe,the middle east and Asia. The reason for The Silk Road was to trade goods and get goods. It also was a place to get knowledge and idea. I think

The Silk Road was a ancient trade route that was used from Asia, Europe and Africa. This was very useful to all of these places because they were able to trade items they don't need to get items back that they needed. The Silk road started at 120 Bc and lasted until 450 Ce. Since it went on for so long there were many things that had a big impact on Europe and Asia. The Silk Road had the biggest impact on Asia and Europe because of the spreading of religions, the four great Chinese inventions, trading items and by disease.

Confucius and The Silk Road led to the success of Ancient China. Confucius was a teacher and philosopher, born in 551 B.C, and his teachings became the basis for the Civil Service Exam. In the Civil Service Exam, people who wanted to be Chinese officials would take the test, and the highest scorers would become officials. About 20% or 1 in 5 would pass the test. Confucius also founded a philosophy/religion called Confucianism. The Silk Road was a trading route that traded copper, gold, spices and silk. It also traded religious ideas, so China was able to receive Christianity and Buddhism (which came from India) through the Silk Road. For example, in Document 2, “Confucius thought of a person taking an exam before becoming part of the government.”

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.

Source three represents a vivid illustration of The Silk Road more than a millennium ago, which is part of historical globalization. The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce between 130 BC-1453 AD.The Silk Road was meant not just for Silk. Many languages was spread throughout the Silk Road. For example, if you were from India and you needed some tea from China, you would need to speak some sort of Chinese to get access to a trade for the item you want. Transportation increased greatly during the Silk Road.

The Silk Road played a vital role in aiding the interaction between India and China and multicultural transmissions, however, its purposes were primarily used to increase trade. Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen created the term “Silk Road” in 1877

Many thousands of years ago, upon the earliest creations of civilization, there were two thriving civilizations. Both of which knew little to nothing about each other’s existence. In this ancient world, there was no connection of the two civilizations, no trade in commerce or culture. It was not until the second century BC that Europe and Eastern Asia interacted in a significant way. What is known as “The Silk Road” was established during the Han Dynasty of China, it was a network of trade routes that created a link between these two regions during this ancient world (ancient.eu). Though these routes have history prior to the Han Dynasty, this is when many historians see the routes in full practice. This time during the second century BC was crucial in the connection of these separately thriving civilizations, connecting them through commerce, religion, and exploration.

According to Ahmad Hasan Dani’s Centre of the Study of the Civilization of Central Asia: Roads are by definition channels of communication between one place and another, one region and another, one people and another, and one civilization and another (Sugimura & Umesao 21). They provide a means of connection and while “some roads are transitory, others secure a permanent place in human history” (Sugimura & Umesao 21). One such road, known as the Silk Road, contributed inestimably to the ancient world of Eurasia and played a significant role in both “cultural and commercial advancements” (Sugimura & Umesao i). This route promoted a network of trade of not only goods and merchandise, but also new ideas and techniques all of which were brought to various regions especially during the Tang dynasty. Because of trade and the Silk Road, cultural exchanges were made possible and “western countries shared the learnings and culture that flourished in the Chinese capital” (Sugimura & Umesao i). Although there were disadvantages of the Silk Road because of banditry and spread of disease, this network of trade nevertheless connected the ancient Eastern and Western worlds through the spread of religion, culture and politics.