Molly+B


 * The Silk Road**

Happy 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**
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 * 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 place where trade flourished. Silk, gold, silver, bronze, metal, baskets, household objects, you could find //anything// at the Silk Road! Traders and merchants traveled by caravans, holding goods and keeping eyes out for venders with what they were looking for. Unfortunately, another thing that flourished on the Silk Road was crime. Caravans filled with expensive, nice goods is basically an advertisement for bandits. The bandits would hide behind bushes and trees on the side of the road, and when a caravan with expensive goods came by, they attacked. But the Silk Road was a very successful trade center.

How was the Silk Road created?
=== The Silk Road was created when the military wanted a road to travel on. The Chinese built a very wide and long road, which met up with existing roads. People thought that this would be a great place for trade, and it had a wide road for caravans. ===

How were cities and territories connected?
The main road, the road that was originally made, was long and wide. It was straight with the occasional turn. How did it grow so large, then? Well that thick road was long, and it met up with already existing roads, creating a longer, and larger road. Coming from the capital of China, to the smallest of villages. The Silk Road was very very large, stretching 5,000 miles. The existing roads went on to a village, where traders went there, then a road to another village was followed, then before you know it, your in Europe. You have trekked all 5,000 miles.

What type of goods or ideas- physical, intellectual, or religious- crossed the Silk Road?
So many of goods crossed the Silk Road. Silk, gold, baskets, household items, clothing, fabric, baskets, metals, gems, jewelry, and plenty more crossed the Silk Road. But goods weren't the only thing that crossed the Silk Road. Ideas, cultures, and people crossed the Silk Road also. Buddhism did not really exist in China before foreigners came and spread the religion. Ideas crossed the Silk Road, and cultures and traditions for religions, or just everyday traditions in culture crossed the Silk Road.

Why is the Silk Road important to World History? What is the relationship between the Silk Road and the Han Dynasty and Roman Empir e?
=== It is important because without it, trade would not have flourished. And Europe and Asia would not have interacted in the trade buisness. Then cultures, religions, and ideas would not have spread and we would not have a lot of the traditions we have today. ===

Similarities and Differences
Before deciding which dynasty your client should visit, you may wish to create a simple Venn Diagram to compare/contrast the two empires. You may use [|this template] or create one online at Read-Write-Think.

Which empire should Mr. Trails, a travel writer, visit? Why?
= **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
//embed your poster here by copying the embed code from Glogster and adding an HTML widget//

= **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.