DO NOW:

Was the Silk Road the

internet highway of the
ancient world?
What do we get from the
internet?
WHAT DO WE GET FROM THE INTERNET?

Entertainment: video
Buy & sell goods on games, music,
EBAY, AMAZON, etc. movies, etc.

E-mail anyone INTERNET Research to gain

in the world/ more knowledge &
MySpace / information about a
Online topic
YouTube
banking
$$$$$$ Meet people /
Google online dating
Earth /
Mapquest
Have the students examine the maps and
perform the following tasks :
Group I
1.Locate the three points from where the Silk Road originates
2.How many Silk Roads are there in Eurasia?
Group II
1.How does the Silk Road act as a highway for Eurasia?
2. Have the students examine both maps and perform the following
tasks
Group III
1.Describe the topography of the area through which the Silk Road
passes
2.Describe the sights the travelers might see along the road
Group IV
1.Why would the travelers pick that particular route for the Silk
Road?
2.How would you describe travel along the Silk Road?
 #1 GLOBALIZATION-

described as a process by which the

people of the world are unified into a single
society and functioning together.

The internet promotes

globalization in the world today.
1. What do you see?
2. How can we compare this to the internet of today?
3. Why was this important to global history?
OUD ITEMS TRADED ALONG THE SILK ROAD
GLASS
BACTRIAN
CAMELS

CARPETS
METAL PORCELAIN
WORK

SILK
JADE SPICES
Distribute to the class the Merchant's Tale
Students will read the tale and answer the
questions following the story.

Summary:
1.How important was the Silk Road to the
ancient and classical world?
2.In what ways did it act as a tool of cultural
diffusion?
3.Do you think it was more important for the
exchange of goods or ideas?
4.Is the Silk Road as important as the internet
today? Explain
WHAT WAS LIFE
LIKE TRAVELING
ON THE SILK
ROAD?
 I am Nanivandak, a merchant from
Samarkand. I travel for many months from my
hometown to Chang’an to buy and sell goods.
Along the route I meet many different people. Yet,
although we all come from various places, we all
speak the language of the Silk Road - Arabic.
Ever since I was a young man, I have traveled to
Chang’an. I even remember my first trip with my
uncle. We had to take the Northern Silk Road,
rather than the Southern. Other merchants and
travelers warned us about the Tibetan troops near
Kashgar.
 The journey is dangerous. The mountains are
full of pit falls and freezing temperatures. As we
move closer into China, the terrain (land) and climate
once again changes. The spring the melting snows
cause avalanches. The journey is not only hard for
us, but also our animals. We need to collect fresh
horses every so often. Soon we will be exchanging
our horses for camels. Camels are the only animals
that can carry the goods and us across the desert.
Yet , they are expensive $ , and we need to provide
for their care on top of paying 14 bolts of silk for each
animal. We are held responsible for any injury or
death that occurs to our camels. I have seen my
uncle willing to sacrifice a man or woman if it meant
saving a camel.
 My uncle and I whenever possible, travel with other
merchants. Safety is my uncle’s main concern. We hear
enough horror stories about the lack of water, sudden
windstorms and even sandstorms. Sometimes we come
across bones of small groups who broke away or decided to
take a less traveled road. The greatest threat is the bandits
(thieves).
The trip is worthwhile if we survive. We take home the
profits and more goods to be sold back to our homeland. We
brought with us glass, carpets and brass to sell in Chang’an.
The Buddhists monks need the brass for their statues.
Chang’an is a merchant’s paradise. The market place has
3000 stalls representing 200 merchant guilds in the city. The
city is beautiful. Soon with the help of Allah, I will be there in
the comfort and beauty of the city.