Networks of Exchange (1200-1450) Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Networks of Exchange (1200-1450) distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

PiqCue — piqcue.com/networks-of-exchange/cheatsheet

Quick Reference

Silk Roads

Overland trade routes connecting East Asia to the Mediterranean, carrying silk, spices, precious metals, and ideas across Central Asia.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

Maritime trade system linking East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China, driven by seasonal monsoon winds.

Trans-Saharan Trade

Caravan routes crossing the Sahara Desert connecting West African kingdoms with North Africa and the Mediterranean, trading gold, salt, and enslaved people.

Caravanserai

Roadside inns along the Silk Roads providing shelter, food, and security for merchants and their animals.

Diasporic Communities

Groups of merchants who settled far from their homeland, facilitating trade through cultural and linguistic connections.

Key Terms at a Glance

Silk Roads:Overland trade routes connecting East Asia to the Mediterranean via Central Asia.

Indian Ocean Trade Network:Maritime trade system linking East Africa, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and China.

Trans-Saharan Trade:Caravan routes crossing the Sahara connecting West Africa to North Africa and the Mediterranean.

Monsoon Winds:Seasonal winds in the Indian Ocean that reverse direction, enabling predictable maritime trade voyages.

Caravanserai:Roadside inn providing shelter and security for Silk Road merchants and their animals.

Diasporic Community:A merchant group settled far from its homeland, facilitating trade through cultural and linguistic connections.

Lingua Franca:A shared language adopted for communication between speakers of different native languages.

Swahili:Bantu-Arabic hybrid language and culture of East African coastal trading cities.

Timbuktu:West African city at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade, renowned for commerce and Islamic scholarship.

Pax Mongolica:Period of Mongol-imposed peace that secured Silk Road trade routes across Eurasia.

Dhow:Traditional sailing vessel with lateen sails used in Indian Ocean trade.

Gold-Salt Trade:The exchange of West African gold for Saharan salt, the foundation of trans-Saharan commerce.

Kilwa:Swahili city-state in present-day Tanzania that controlled gold trade from the interior.

Astrolabe:Navigational instrument used to determine latitude by measuring the angle of celestial bodies.

Luxury Goods:High-value, lightweight items like silk, spices, and gems that were cost-effective to transport overland.

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