America Trade Routes vs. Silk Road
During the period of 600 – 1450, the eastern hemisphere was connected through many trading routes. Although both the Americas and the Silk Road resulted in immense wealth being created, the Americas road ways served more religious functions, such as pilgrimage or more practical functions and the Silk Road supported Christianity through the overland routes, and it had more drastic effects on society.
Throughout Pre-Columbian Americas, Mesoamericans were unified by similarities in material culture, religious beliefs, and practices and social structures. During this period, a growing population had goods being trading over farther distances and social standards became more compound. One example that provides evidence for a large trade network in the Americas is the Teotihuacán, who was involved in an immense trading network that linked all major current cultures. One of the most common materials that was used for weapons, was widely distributed amongst many cultures as well. Also, Mesoamericans had intercontinental connections with South and North America. The introduction of maize in agricultural farming along the Peruvian coast suggested connections with Mesoamerica. Little is known about how the it came about or the way it was contacted, but this can only show evidence of trade between them both since maize was first domesticated there. It is almost certain that the connections between Mesoamerica and South America were not continuous before Columbus, there is definitely evidence of networking and trading connections.
Hopewell is another example that influenced the later development of Mississippian culture. The largest Hopewell towns had over 10,000 people inhabiting the area and were recognized as a North American chiefdom. A chiefdom is made up of a large population with rule designated by the chief, who holds both religious and political responsibilities. The development of urbanized Mississippian chiefdoms resulted in higher production of agriculture, an innovation known as the bow and arrow, and the expansion of new trade networks. The improvement of the economy led to an increase in population, building of cities, and socials. Some of the biggest towns had shared a common interest in urbanizing their towns through a central plaza, where people can meet and trade. Even larger towns became trading points where people bartered for goods, such as flint to make weapons and tools. Traders brought seashells, copper, mica, and flint to the city, where they were used as ritual goods and tools. Burial evidence suggests that the rulers of Cahokia were rich and powerful. In one burial more than fifty young women and retainers were sacrificed to accompany a ruler on his travels after death.
Like the large trade networks the Americas established, the Silk Road profited off of vast trade connections as well. To begin, the Silk Road was not a “road”. It expanded 7000 miles and was made up of two routes: one that connected the Eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia and another that went from Central Asia to China. It also had many sea routes that traded goods via the Mediterranean, and goods from Central Asia that found networking across the world. Although the trading of silk was very indignant, it played a minor role in China’s economy. The Mediterranean exported goods such as olives, olive oil, glazes, jewelry and wine. Of all the goods that were in transit along the Silk Roads, it was silk that came to symbolize the Eurasian exchange system. The connections that were formed by mostly unknown merchants arguably changed the world more than any political or religious leaders. Aside from trading goods and building unique cultures, not just goods were traveling along the trade routes of Eurasia. Diseases too came across the trade routes and left devastating consequences on people. Each center that included major populations had developed various disease patterns and specific methods for dealing with them. This included ideas to become immune to these diseases. As with all diseases, cross-contact among human communities transpired and many people were exposed to diseases in which they were unfamiliar with, along with few operative methods for surviving these diseases. Measles and smallpox were two of the more significant diseases that affected these communities.
All in all, the Americas are associated with much evidence as to being a large trading network before the time of Columbus. As history ran its course, the exchange of diseases before Columbus gave Europeans the upper hand in confronting the Western people. The exposure of diseases over the course of time gave the Europeans immunity the Eurasian diseases. For the Americas, the less interaction among the more populated areas and their indefinite isolation from the Eastern Hemisphere gave them little defense against these diseases. Because of this, when the Americas came into contact with the Europeans, their population plummeted because of the diseases. This was the long-term outcome of the contrasting histories of these two hemispheres.