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Unit 2 Overview: Networks of Exchange

Unit 2 Overview: Networks of Exchange

What do modern pit stops and medieval caravanserai have in common? Quite a lot! Merchants who traveled the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and trans-Saharan trade routes needed safe places to stop, rest, and refuel during their journey, just like modern travelers do.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.

Think about the following questions as you watch the video


  1. What are caravanserai and why were they useful?
  2. Where did large regional networks exist in this era?
  3. How was trade conducted over the largest network in Afro-Eurasia and what goods were traded along this route?
  4. How are the themes of governance and economic systems linked when studying networks of exchange in this era?
  5. How did the creation of the Mongol Empire disrupt trade but also lead to building new caravanserai?
  6. How did caravanserai affect many of the regions in which they were built?