Elly+W


 * ​The Silk Road**

Dusty Trails is a travel writer for //Explore// magazine and keenly interested in the Silk Road. A self-proclaimed renaissance man, Mr. Trails enjoys outdoor activities, photography, and attending cultural events. To help Mr. Trails decide which features of the Silk Road he should travel back in time to visit, you'll need to research the Silk Road and present your key findings on the following questions:

= **Key Questions:** =


 * 1) What was the Silk Road? How was the Silk Road created? How was it protected? How were cities and territories connected?
 * 2) What type of goods or ideas- physical, intellectual, or religious- crossed the Silk Road?
 * 3) Why is the Silk Road important to World History? What is the relationship between the Silk Road and the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire?

=Resources= Your research will be confined to the following web resources and library databases. If you wish to use a resource not on this list you must seek approval from your teacher.

**The Silk Road**
 * []
 * []
 * [|http://www.ess.uci.edu/~oliver/silk.html]
 * [|http://www.ess.uci.edu/~oliver/silk2.html]
 * []


 * Library Databases **
 * @http://www.micdslibrary.com/databases.html

Scroll down to the History/Social Studies menu; the ABCCLIO Ancient World History database is particularly helpful.

=Research and Citations= Use the space below to record your research for each question. Remember that you will need to cite your sources using the format found on the MICDS Library resource page.

What was the Silk Road?
====The Silk Road was a trade route that served as the first "internet". It started in the 2nd century B.C.E. and thrived until the 17th century C.E. It was a source of communication between cultures and economics. It stretched 5,000 miles starting in the capital of China, Chang'an, and ended in some city-states by the Mediterranean Sea. The route passed through many deserts and mountains and was a treacherous route for merchants. This trade route was very important because it connected China to the Mediterranean region.====

How was the Silk Road created?
====The Silk Road began when China's first traveler to make contact with Central Asian tribes, Chan Ch'ien, wanted to expand silk trade to include other civilizations. Chan Ch'ien was from the Han Dynasty. He wanted to include lesser tribes in the silk trade and forge alliances with the Asian nomads. The route grew longer as the Roman Empire flourished because the Chinese would give silk as presents to Roman and Asian governments.====

How was it protected?
====News quickly spread of the Silk Road. Bandits found out about the precious goods that were traded there, so the bandits would take advantage of this and attack the traders. The caravans the bandits were attacking soon needed a defence force. Defence forces added a cost for the merchants who wanted to pass through and trade there. Guarding this route was a problem so they built forts and walls along parts of the route. The parts north of the Gansu Corridor were part of the Great Wall of China. Protecting the Silk Road was important because there were precious goods that couldn't be harmed.====

How were cities and territories connected?
====The Silk Road had lots of diverse merchants. The route spanned from China to the Mediterranean so merchants would come from all over that area and would trade along the route. People from different cultures would trade with each other and learn about their customs. Also people might trade goods that were involved with their cultures. People from different cultures might trade things that were from their area. For example the Westerners brought ivory and the Chinese brought silk. Different currencies from different places would pass through also. Different people and goods passed through the road and connected the cities.====

=== What type of goods or ideas- physical, intellectual, or religious- crossed the Silk Road? === ====Many different religions, cultures, and goods passed through the Silk Road. There was some silk trade on the Silk Road. Originally people traded silk within the empire. But once the westerners found out about the silk, they wanted it desperately. Silk symbolized wealth and that's why people wanted it so badly. But silk wasn't the only good that was traded. Some of the other things traded on the Silk Road in China were ironware, mirrors, ceramics, furs, medical herbs and drugs, and also some Chinese inventions like gunpowder and paper. The Westerners also traded on the Silk Road routes. They brought perfumes, ivory, jewels, glass, food like fruits and vegetables, animals like lions, elephants, and peacocks, and also wine and spices. Also anlot of religions passed through the Silk Road. Religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Nestorianism, Manichaeism, and Zoroastrianism appeared on the road.====

=== Why is the Silk Road important to World History? What is the relationship between the Silk Road and the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire? === ====The Silk Road was important because it united China with the Mediterranean. This helped give other civilizations new inventions like Chinese paper and gunpowder. It also gave people goods that weren't in the area where they lived. It helped share people's cultures. The Silk Road was very important because it was the first major trade route through Asia. Chan Ch'ien of the Han Dynasty had the idea of the Silk Road. The route started in the Han Dynasty and ran through deserts, mountains, and finally ended in Mediterranean city-states. Rome was one of the city-states that the routes ended. Also China and Rome governments would give each other gifts like silk.==== = = = **Travel Poster Components:** = The travel poster should be attractive, persuasive, and highlight the major features of the Silk Road as they relate to each empire. You will create the poster using Glogster.edu (instructions will be provided in class) and it should contain the following components:

__**Travel Poster Components**__
 * 1) One Glogster.edu poster for the Silk Road
 * 2) At least six "must see" tourist destinations/features with detailed text and relevant images
 * 3) At least two audio recordings

//Note: For the Silk Road, "destinations/features" may be physical, intellectual, or religious.//

The **[|Poster Rubric]** will be used to evaluate your work; you should refer to it before handing in your final product. When you have completed the poster, embed it below the "Travel Poster" heading below:

Travel Poster
media type="custom" key="6215507"

= **Oral Presentation Guidelines** = The presentation is your opportunity to explain why the Silk Road is an ideal tourist destination and should follow these guidelines:


 * 1) Less than 3 minutes in length
 * 2) Should address/explain the "must see" features of the Silk Road
 * 3) Should explain why the client should visit these features

This presentation is about speaking skills and the use of your poster. You will be permitted to use notecards but are NOT to simply read your notes to the audience. The **[|Presentation Rubric]** will be used to evaluate your work; you should refer to it before giving your final presentation.