A central trading point at which the western and the eastern Silk Road met

During the rule of Timur Lane was the most influential captial city, a wealthy trading center known for decorated mosques and tombs.

Bills of exchange, Credit, Checks, Banking Houses, Use of Paper Money

An ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire. Marco Polo followed the route on his journey to Cathay.

inn or rest station for caravans

iron and steel

an empire founded in the 12th century by Genghis Khan, which reached its greatest territorial extent in the 13th century, encompassing the larger part of Asia and extending westward to the Dnieper River in eastern Europe.

The period of approximately 150 years of relative peace and stability created by the Mongol Empire. Facilitated Afro-Eurasian trade and communication

Greco-Islamic medical knowledge to western Europe, numbering systems to Europe, Uyghur script

East African shores of the Indian Ocean between the Horn of Africa and the Zambezi River; from the Arabic sawahil, meaning 'shores.'

Region of western India famous for trade and manufacturing.

Malay dynasty in Malacca that ruled over the Malay golden age. Islamic center for learning, international trade port, and encouraged the development of the Malay language, literature, and arts.

connected to Europe, East Africa, and China.; world's richest maritime trading network and an area of rapid Muslim expansion

compass, astrolabe, larger ship designs

An instrument used by sailors to determine their location by observing the position of the stars and planets

merchant communities that introduced their own cultures into other areas

Muslim merchant communities in the Indian Ocean region; Chinese merchant communities in Southeast Asia; Sogdian merchant communities throughout Central Asia; Jewish communities in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean basin, or along the Silk Roads

An imperial eunuch and Muslim, entrusted by the Ming emperor Yongle with a series of state voyages that took his gigantic ships through the Indian Ocean, from Southeast Asia to Africa.

Major winds in the Indian Ocean that blew into India for half the year, and blew away from India for the other half. Helped facilitate trade in the Indian Ocean.

An invention which gives camel riders more stability on the animal and its invention and basic idea traveled along the Trans-Saharan Caravan Trade Route. Invented somewhere between 500 and 100 BCE by Bedouin tribes.

A group of traders traveling together

route across the sahara desert. Major trade route that traded for gold and salt, created caravan routes, economic benefit for controlling dessert, camels played a huge role in the trading

From 1235-1400, this was a strong empire of Western African. With its trading cities of Timbuktu and Gao, it had many mosques and universities. The Empire was ruled by two great rulers, Sundiata and Mansa Musa. Thy upheld a strong gold-salt trade. The fall of the empire was caused by the lack of strong rulers who could govern well.

The influence of Buddhism in East Asia, The spread of Hinduism and Buddhism into Southeast Asia; The spread of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

Invented within China during the 9th century, this substance was became the dominate military technology used to expand European and Asian empires by the 15th century.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

(1304-1369) Morrocan Muslim scholar, the most widely traveled individual of his time. He wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and the western Sudan. His writings gave a glimpse into the world of that time period.

Wrote the Book of Margery Kempe - considered the 1st autobiography in the Eng. language. Chronicles her pilgrimages to holy sites in Europe and Asia. Claimed to have vision that called her to leave the vanities of the world (saw vision of Christ). Was tempted by sex and jealousy, but was devout. Acts as best insight that points to a mid. class female experience in the Middle Ages. Records the tension in late medieval England between orthodoxy and religious dissent. Was tried for illegal acts, but proved orthodoxy. Went into crying fits and many were skeptical, but eventually believed she spoke with God.

(1254-1324) Venetian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period.

Bananas in Africa, New rice varieties in East Asia, Spread of Cotton, sugar, and citrus throughout Dar-al-Islam and the Mediterranean basin

the epidemic form of bubonic plague experienced during the Middle Ages when it killed nearly half the people of western Europe