Important trade routes in the past have helped define economic and cultural history. These routes have provided abundant wealth and cultural exchange. However, they have also caused war and subjugation.
Below are some of the key historical trading routes of relationships that stemmed from the ancient times:
The Silk Road. Considered the most famous of all the trade routes, the Silk Road lasted for hundreds of years. It was only during the ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire which culminated in the storming of Constantinople in 1453 that effectively closed the route. The Silk Road connected China with India, the Middle East, and Europe all through Central Asia. The route paved the way for the exchange of valuable goods such Chinese silk to the Roman Empire. It also allowed the spread of religions and technologies from East to West, including Islam and Buddhism and gunpowder from China to Europe, through the Arab world.
British – Indian Spice Trade. The English East India Company leased the Bombay Island in 1640, which was part of the dowry in the marriage of Catherine of Braganza to Charles II of England. This island, including other settlements, marked the start of the Company’s eventual domination of India. The Company started exporting silks, cottons, and indigo dye to Europe. It was also able to import India’s spices and over time India became a captive market for British manufactured goods. Soon, the Company turned into a government in its own right, collecting taxes and fighting wars, and eventually dominating the whole of India.
The Incense Route. This is an ancient trade route that linked early Mediterranean civilisations with incense, spices, and valuable stones from what it is now known as Southern Arabia. The specific products that were traded included frankincense - a milky sap derived from the Boswellia tree, a key ingredient in perfumes. The scents were sought after in Ancient Egypt since they helped hide the stench of the open sewage and filth. Boswellia trees only grew in Eastern Africa and what is now known at Yemen, making the product very hard to obtain. The Egyptians soon built cities and forts in the Arabian Peninsula to help protect the trade which used both land and sea routes.
Info source: www.business.hsbc.com
Below are some of the key historical trading routes of relationships that stemmed from the ancient times:
The Silk Road. Considered the most famous of all the trade routes, the Silk Road lasted for hundreds of years. It was only during the ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire which culminated in the storming of Constantinople in 1453 that effectively closed the route. The Silk Road connected China with India, the Middle East, and Europe all through Central Asia. The route paved the way for the exchange of valuable goods such Chinese silk to the Roman Empire. It also allowed the spread of religions and technologies from East to West, including Islam and Buddhism and gunpowder from China to Europe, through the Arab world.
British – Indian Spice Trade. The English East India Company leased the Bombay Island in 1640, which was part of the dowry in the marriage of Catherine of Braganza to Charles II of England. This island, including other settlements, marked the start of the Company’s eventual domination of India. The Company started exporting silks, cottons, and indigo dye to Europe. It was also able to import India’s spices and over time India became a captive market for British manufactured goods. Soon, the Company turned into a government in its own right, collecting taxes and fighting wars, and eventually dominating the whole of India.
The Incense Route. This is an ancient trade route that linked early Mediterranean civilisations with incense, spices, and valuable stones from what it is now known as Southern Arabia. The specific products that were traded included frankincense - a milky sap derived from the Boswellia tree, a key ingredient in perfumes. The scents were sought after in Ancient Egypt since they helped hide the stench of the open sewage and filth. Boswellia trees only grew in Eastern Africa and what is now known at Yemen, making the product very hard to obtain. The Egyptians soon built cities and forts in the Arabian Peninsula to help protect the trade which used both land and sea routes.
Info source: www.business.hsbc.com
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