history week 8

1

Veronica Williams

Dr. Taber

History 110

02 April 2026

2

Global Literacy Research Essay

Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and

cultural exchange between different regions of the world?

The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior

to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the

world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of

ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how

the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world

include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1

The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade

systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and

some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like

silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about

exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.

As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through

merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs

affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade

routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.

The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This

sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long

distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that

merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones

were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other

areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3

The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.

To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to

be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such

exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the

1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300. 2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305. 3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.

3

Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing

and formation of new identities in port cities.

Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.

These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the

North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles

were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern

economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence

of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating

trade routes and taxing traders.

Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders

and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the

West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and

Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a

demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as

cultural exchange.

Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence

between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to

receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were

distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the

evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems

are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization

and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships

between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the

connected globality as it is now.

In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes

of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links

throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were

transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural

exchange.

4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372. 5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.

4

Bibliography

Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World

from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.

5

1

Veronica Williams

Dr. Taber

History 110

02 April 2026

2

Global Literacy Research Essay

Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and

cultural exchange between different regions of the world?

The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior

to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the

world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of

ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how

the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world

include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1

The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade

systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and

some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like

silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about

exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.

As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through

merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs

affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade

routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.

The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This

sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long

distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that

merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones

were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other

areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3

The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.

To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to

be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such

exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the

1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300. 2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305. 3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.

3

Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing

and formation of new identities in port cities.

Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.

These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the

North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles

were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern

economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence

of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating

trade routes and taxing traders.

Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders

and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the

West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and

Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a

demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as

cultural exchange.

Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence

between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to

receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were

distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the

evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems

are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization

and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships

between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the

connected globality as it is now.

In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes

of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links

throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were

transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural

exchange.

4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372. 5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.

4

Bibliography

Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World

from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.

5