Tuesday, June 10, 2014

commerce and culture



History tells amazing stories. The journey of development, culture, trades, and religion
are just a few things that leads us to today. A world that exists because of the past.
History gives us examples of how different the ecological zones were. From coastlands
to highlands, even the forest and deserts produce several various desired commodities.   
The trades also depended on the roads of travel. The silk, sea and sand roads were
different and trades depended on the commodities that were in demand. For example,
and to name a few of the trading networks were China, India, Africa and the
Mediterranean Basin. They all had different and specific products that they would
trade. China traded silk, bamboo, gunpowder, paper, rhubarb, ginger, porcelain,
tea, lacquer ware, and chrysanthemums. India traded, grains, ivory, stones, cotton
textiles, spices timber, herbal medicine, and tortoiseshells. West Africa imported salt,
while East Africa had gold, ivory, iron goods, slaves, quartz, leopard skins as well as
tortoiseshells too. The Mediterranean Basin had wool and linen textile, ceramics,
glassware, wine and grape vines, jewelry, artwork, gold and gold coins, and olive oil.
     What I found to be interesting is that the ability to grow, create and produce wasn’t
for their personal community needs but the need to trade at the markets. This also
allowed them to gain things from other merchants. People back then really knew what
needed to be done to stay afloat in their realm. It was because of both travel and trade
that had a heavy influenced on how to live. They learned from the many circles of life
that they came across. This is why language, culture, religion and commodities all

became a valuable source of teaching, learning and accepting new things.      

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