Throughout history civilizations have traded among each other to better their lifestyles. Trade is a way for one area of civilization to obtain advantages of another civilization through commerce. Trade routes consisting of the Silk Road, Indian Ocean, and the Sahara Desert had major impacts on the civilizations that participated with them. The impacts furthermore changed the way the individual civilizations progressed over time.
The Silk Road developed because the Chinese’s demand for horses. They reached into central Asia, with roads as large as 4000 miles long, and exchanged things such as silk. Silk could be exchanged with barbarians for horses, donkeys, gold, and many other valuable things. The Chinese would trade a luxury good for a military good and strengthen their military.
The Indian Ocean was a crucial center of exchange because its exchange system was known as the “monsoon system.” This system of trade fluctuated with seasonal patterns of the monsoon winds. People could be blown from Indonesia, and then blown down the coast of East Africa. This system made it possible for Indonesian civilizations to trade with East African civilizations.
The Sahara Desert became a huge trade route after camels were introduced form Asia. The camels could only live in aired areas because they were subject to disease. With the camels living in the desert the trade had begun because horses couldn’t survive the harsh conditions. Trade between North and South Africa became much easier. African states began developing between trading cities to take advantage of the trade.
It is easily seen that because of these unique trade routes actual civilizations experienced historical changes. People began living in areas that were less suitable for life for the advantages of the trade. These very trade routes in many ways shaped the way people lived. For reason of trade people altered their life and began trading for a living or mass...