The Silk Road and Indian Ocean -- Gebhardt

     The Silk Road was not just a path on which trading took place, it was an international exchange of cultures, religions, and ideas. These trading routes were not just responsible for the introduction of new crops and resources to foreign countries, they also brought about new technology developments, each having their own unique impact. Transportation technology, like Ox-drawn carts and the Camel Saddle, (accompanied with the stirrup) had huge impacts on some areas, changing they way they transported mass goods and their military strategies. Thus, we see the rise and fall of empires, the rise of those with the new technology advancements. As some benefitted from the outcome of new ideas, there were those that did not. As people associated with one another, so did their religions. The clash of different faiths lead to conflict, and ultimately oppression to Christianity from the Sasanid Kings who saw Christianity as a threat. During this period, we see trade expand to the Indian Ocean. The expansion allowed countries separated by land barriers to connect and obtain resources that were otherwise inaccessible. These seafaring traders developed cultural hot spots at landing zones, or ports. The constant flow of wealth and cultural diversity began the development of many big cities across the entirety of the continent.