The below questions are to help you take notes on the Splendid Exchange text. These are not the only notes you should have on the text, but they give you a good idea of the information you should be focusing on. These questions will provide a framework for your notes on this text.
Introduction
Due:
How does the study of trade patterns illustrate shifts in power?
Which cultures stayed to themselves, and had lack of need for extensive trade?
Which cultures first mastered long distance trade?
What is the significance of water bodies to trade? List examples.
How can we study ancient trade routes, even if a culture did not have written records?
Describe dangers faced by those engaged in trade, especially long distance trade.
Explain how the fall of empires led to a change in trade.
Define globalization.
What uncertainties may be found in the study of trade, how does this text address them?
Chapter 1: Sumer
Due:
Explain the significance of metals to early Mesopotamian societies.
Describe the early use of water transportation and its connection to trade.
How does obsidian help historians to understand early trade.
When did bronze come into play for early civilizations? How?
List significant commodities for early river valley civilizations.
What was the earliest form of money?
What allowed Mesopotamia to survive?
Define "trade diaspora".
What can be deduced from the discovery of Indus Valley seals.
Describe the connection between Egypt's power and trade.
Which society took over Red Sea trade following Egypt?
How did weather patterns effect early trade?
Chapter 2: The Straits of Trade
Due:
Explain how the Peloponnesian War effected trade.
Describe the political structure of Ancient Greece.
Describe the impact of geography on Greek trade.
Why did the Greeks colonize?
This chapter is entitled "The Straits of Trade": Explain what straits are, why they are significant to trade, and why they would be prominent enough in the history of Greek/Mediterranean trade to be the author's choice for their title.
Explain how one can use starvation to win a war. Include geographical tactics.
Why is Greece considered "the cradle of Western civilization"?
Describe the connection between naval power and trade power. How will this theme continue through the history of trade?
Chapter 3: Camels, Perfumes, and Prophets
Due:
Why are camels so significant to the history of trade? How does geography play into their significance?
Describe the purposed domestication of the camel.
Define "incense". What created the demand for these products?
What is a "luxury" good? What makes a product a "luxury" good?
What was the Pax Romana?
Describe the impact of the Pax Romana on trade.
What led to the increase in the "price" over goods over distance?
What led to Mecca becoming a center of commerce?
How did Islam impact trade routes in ancient times?
According to Islam, what was the Prophet's ultimate mission?
What was the significance of the battle of Dhat al-Sawari?
Explain how early Muslim conquests were in a way, a recreation of the Pax Romana.
Define the Pax Islamica.
Chapter 4: The Baghdad-Canton Express
Due:
Who was Marco Polo? What is the significance of his records?
According to Chinese sources, when did Islam reach China?
Describe the Islamic trade system under the caliphate.
Explain the shift of the center of Islam when the Abbasid Empire replaced the Umayyad.
Describe the significance of Malacca. (*Hint, this is the city in The Ghost Bride)
How did monsoons impact Asian trade?
Which Chinese traditions were frowned upon by Muslims? Why?
Of what historical significance is Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night?
Who was Battuta?
Describe the impact of Battuta.
What was the connection of the hajj to trade?
Who was Zheng He? How did he impact Chinese trade?
Make connections between the factual evidence presented about Malacca and the Malacca presented in The Ghost Bride.
Chapter 5: The Taste of Trade and the Captives of Trade
Due:
Describe the setup of a medieval market.
What were the most important items of trade during the Middle Ages?
How can we see evidence of the trade patterns of Medieval Europe today?
What geographical feature did Medieval Europe covet for control of trade?
Why were spices important during the Middle Ages?
What were the Spice Islands?
Explain the reversal of desire for goods between East and West during the Middle Ages.
Where was Muslim control of trade most apparent?
Describe the impact of the Crusades on trade.
Describe the fall of Constantinople.
Describe the mamluk slave system.
What was the biggest impact of the spice-slave trade?
Chapter 6: The Diseases of Trade
Due:
Explain how the Mongols used biological warfare on Kaffa.
Where did plague come from? What is the technical name for the disease?
What disease decimated the Aztec?
How can trade be dangerous when we consider biological material?
What happens to a civilization/peoples once they have been exposed to a disease for a long time?
At what time was the Plague attacking Europe?
Where did the Plague of the Middle Ages most likely emerge?
Explain why plague was known as the "Black Death".
Describe the symptoms of the Black Plague.
What was the connection between the Black Plague and the Silk Road?
Examine the graph on pg 145. Describe the impact of the Plague on Medieval Europe from 1300-1700.
Describe some of the methods employed to stave off the Plague during Medieval times.
Chapter 7: Da Gama's Urge
Due:
How did the Crusades inadvertently challenge the Islamic hold on trade?
Who was "Preseter John"? What impact did the search for him have on European trade?
Describe Asian trade before the arrival of Europeans.
Who were the first Europeans to sail for the Indies? Why?
Was Columbus successful or a failure? Explain.
What was the purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas? What was its impact?
What was the significance of da Gama's voyage?
Describe the significance of Venice to European trade with the far East.
Chapter 8: A World Encompassed
Due:
Explain how the global economy, created following the Age of Exploration, led to new cultural blendings across the globe. Give examples.
What five things must be understood in order to explain the globalization of the world following Columbus' discovery of the New World?
Describe the significance of the Spice Islands, both economically and politically.
How did the Age of Exploration and the discoveries of European colonizing forces lead to a redistribution of wealth? Give at least one specific example.
Describe the significance of sugar to New World colonization. Include descriptions of the redistribution of humans as a result of sugar cultivation.
What was the VOC, how powerful was it, and what gave it its power?
What force of power would replace the armies of kings?
Chapter 9: The Coming of Corporations
Due:
What were the two great multinational corporations of the pre-modern period? How did they gain their power?
Why was Britain late to the global trading scene? How did they make up for lost time?
Explain why the Dutch interest rates were low.
Describe advantages that the Dutch had over the British and other European rivals.
Describe the conquest of the Spice Islands.
What was the most profitable part of the VOC's business?
Who were the zielverkooper?
Explain the purpose and results of the Treaty of Munster in 1648.
Who was Oliver Cromwell?
What commodities would the British make a great profit on following their move to India, China,Africa and the New World?
Chapter 10: Transplants
Due:
Describe the effects of the Seven Years' War.
How did coffee play into the rise of multinational corporations?
Explain the Glorious Revolution.
Describe the rise of the cotton trade.
What role did India play in the cotton trade?
Why were calicoes so expensive?
Why did the EIC turn to China for the tea trade?
Describe plantation systems and compare those of different countries.
What plantation/cash crops were of major significance in the New World?
Describe the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Explain what happened to captured Africans upon arrival in the New World.
Explain why slave population growth differed in North and South America.
Describe Triangular Trade.
Chapter 11: The Triumph and Tragedy of Free Trade
Due:
What was the last Chinese dynasty?
Briefly outline Adam Smith's economic theories.
Explain free trade.
What were the barriers to Asian trade?
Describe the Opium Wars.
Describe the Canton System.
Describe the impact of Opium on the Chinese population. What are misconceptions about Opium consumption during the time of the Opium Wars?
How did the EIC loose its power?
Describe the economic theories of Karl Marx.
Explain the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty and its impact.
Chapter 12: What Henry Bessemer Wrought
Due:
What "unmatchable" changes came to trade during the 19th century?
Describe the significance of the Erie Canal.
Explain the impact of the "Era of Good Feelings".
Describe the roll of trade in the Civil War.
How did steam and steel change the global economy?
How did refrigeration change trade? Where could the use of this technology be seen in the 1800s?
Who was adversely affected by the advances of transportation in the 19th and 20th centuries?
Who was Henry Bessemer? What did he change?
Chapter 13: Collapse
Due:
Who was harmed by free trade and how?
What happened to global prices in the decades leading to WWI?
Explain the reasons for convergence of prices.
Explain the Stolper-Samuelson theorem.
Explain the purpose of tariffs. Give an example of how they are helpful. Given another example of how they are harmful.
Describe Hoover's attempts to end the Great Depression. How did they work? Did they work at all? Why or why not?
What had led to a world wide depression?
Explain how the depression ended across the globe.
Describe the economic changes in America following WWII.
Describe the purpose of the WTO and how it operates.
Chapter 14: The Battle of Seattle
Due:
Explain what the Battle of Seattle was.
How did the Battle of Seattle reflect previous issues in trade that we have seen throughout the course of World History?
What is the best method of long distance trade? Why?
Explain how the drive for oil impacts the global economy.
What impact is global warming having on trade?
What is more important, trade within a country (domestic trade), or trade outside of the home country (foreign trade)? Explain.
What role does geography play in economics?
Describe actions and plans for countries who are not involved in global world trade.
Is mankind better now from trade than it was from the early trade days of Mesopotamia? Explain using textual evidence.
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