The Silk Road

Ethiopia; Persia

Taklimakan Desert; Tian Shan Mountains

the Huns

the Romans

the Persians

the Japanese

The horses were scarce in China.

The horses gave the Chinese a way to sell their silk.

The horses were larger and more powerful than Chinese horses.

The horses were considered prettier than the ones in China.

This teacher encouraged the exchange of ideas.

This explorer brought back word of western cultures.

This emperor forced peasants to work on construction.

This military leader made the highway safe for traders.

The Syrians thought wool was too itchy.

The Indians found cotton to be too expensive.

The Romans wanted to buy it to make banners.

The Chinese were the only ones who knew how to make it.

fur.

paper.

livestock.

glassware.

to learn the route

to lift heavy goods

to protect each other

to prevent sandstorms

Oases were closer together.

Road surfaces were smoother.

Scenery was more attractive.

Travelers were safer from bandits.

wool carpets

fine dishware

ground coffee

polished ivory

He believed that cotton was softer and more comfortable than silk.

He worried that buying silk was taking too much of the empire's gold.

He was afraid the silkworms would eat too many leaves off the trees.

He wanted to save as much silk as possible to make army banners.

China became wealthy trading silk.

Travelers faced many dangers on their journey.

Different animals carried goods on different parts of the route.

Europeans learned some Chinese manufacturing methods.

Travelers carried Buddhist beliefs from India to China.

Chinese philosophers wrote Buddhist texts to sell in Antioch.

The Buddha encouraged people to seek enlightenment in the desert.

Dangers on the route supported the Buddhist idea that life is suffering.