Chapters 7, 8, & 10
I found it interesting that silk had become the symbol for the Eurasian exchange. I think its fascinating how its produced. It all starts as a simple silk worm, and with a tedious prolonged procedure, the worm eventually makes a cocoon of silk. It is then unwound into the beautiful fibers that we still use today. Its interesting that the fabrics status has not changed much over the years. Its still worn by people in a Higher Economic Class, and seen as an expensive material. I never knew that it was once used as currency, and a means of accumulating wealth. The Silk Roads seemed to be very vital to the people that lived after 300 BCE; I'm curious as to why it was mostly women that were responsible for the supply and demand though. The story about the poor family not having enough money to feed their silk worms, must of been very common in those times. I cannot imagine having to put all your time, energy, and money on basically taking care of worms. I wonder how I would of felt living in that era. It must of been devastating to loose everything over worms.
I think its no surprise that with the Silk Roads came disease. It's still scary to this day when merchandise is coming overseas. A perfect example was when I had ordered a pound of wool a few days ago, and after reading some reviews I learned it was actually coming from China. A women had received her package and the bag was moist on the inside, and she was afraid of what diseases it may have carried with it. She boiled her yarn in scalding water, and as soon as I received my package I did the same. I can just imagine catching some kind of disease. I don't think it would get as bad as it was in 430-429 BCE, but its always good to be careful. Its interesting that the disease that had spread in that time is still classified as an "unidentified infectious disease." When reading about what had happened, although its shocking you also have to take into consideration that they did not have the same medical knowledge we do today. What is shocking is that it all started from a simple trade for a means of living. Something that could never be stopped is what happened between 534 and 750 CE, when the bubonic plague came about and wiped out thousands of people in such a short period of time. I recently heard a story of a little girl who caught the bubonic plague in Yosemite. She had placed her sweater down next to a half eaten squirrel, then picked her sweater back up and wrapped it around her waist. A few days later she became deathly ill and was rushed to the hospital. Luckily for her she was treated for the disease, and has recovered. But again, back in the time of the outbreak, they did not have the medical treatment that we have. I loved reading about all the different means of trade. The Silk Roads, the Sea Roads, and the Sand Roads. It makes sense to have so many avenues of transportation, because people all over the world depend on it.
I was always curious as to when the idea of a camel and trade came about, and after reading the text, I learned that it was by 300 to 400 CE. I wonder how the people who lived in the Sahara realized their animals would be key to the trade, and how they found out camels could go 10 days without water. I wonder how many failed attempts they had made before they found a solution. These roads are still a major means of transportation and trade. Without the idea of having camels carry most of the weight, people would suffer and it possibly would of never became an international trade route. It was the main source that advanced new relationships between people in distant lands.
I also found the quote "China will be the next superpower" to no surprise. Because China has been around the longest, their population and economic status overpowers many countries. According to the text, many authors foresaw China as a booming country because of its immense population, economy, trade with the US, entry into the oil market, military potential, and its growing presence in global affairs. But some authors stepped back and reflected on its history.
I think its no surprise that with the Silk Roads came disease. It's still scary to this day when merchandise is coming overseas. A perfect example was when I had ordered a pound of wool a few days ago, and after reading some reviews I learned it was actually coming from China. A women had received her package and the bag was moist on the inside, and she was afraid of what diseases it may have carried with it. She boiled her yarn in scalding water, and as soon as I received my package I did the same. I can just imagine catching some kind of disease. I don't think it would get as bad as it was in 430-429 BCE, but its always good to be careful. Its interesting that the disease that had spread in that time is still classified as an "unidentified infectious disease." When reading about what had happened, although its shocking you also have to take into consideration that they did not have the same medical knowledge we do today. What is shocking is that it all started from a simple trade for a means of living. Something that could never be stopped is what happened between 534 and 750 CE, when the bubonic plague came about and wiped out thousands of people in such a short period of time. I recently heard a story of a little girl who caught the bubonic plague in Yosemite. She had placed her sweater down next to a half eaten squirrel, then picked her sweater back up and wrapped it around her waist. A few days later she became deathly ill and was rushed to the hospital. Luckily for her she was treated for the disease, and has recovered. But again, back in the time of the outbreak, they did not have the medical treatment that we have. I loved reading about all the different means of trade. The Silk Roads, the Sea Roads, and the Sand Roads. It makes sense to have so many avenues of transportation, because people all over the world depend on it.
I was always curious as to when the idea of a camel and trade came about, and after reading the text, I learned that it was by 300 to 400 CE. I wonder how the people who lived in the Sahara realized their animals would be key to the trade, and how they found out camels could go 10 days without water. I wonder how many failed attempts they had made before they found a solution. These roads are still a major means of transportation and trade. Without the idea of having camels carry most of the weight, people would suffer and it possibly would of never became an international trade route. It was the main source that advanced new relationships between people in distant lands.
I also found the quote "China will be the next superpower" to no surprise. Because China has been around the longest, their population and economic status overpowers many countries. According to the text, many authors foresaw China as a booming country because of its immense population, economy, trade with the US, entry into the oil market, military potential, and its growing presence in global affairs. But some authors stepped back and reflected on its history.
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