The shoreline of Istanbul, today but during the period of the Silk Road, Constantinople, one of the important western ends of that "road" In Byzantine times, mosques would not have been in Constantinople; but it was a vast city with many large churches. This mosque was built only in the 1550s for the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Suleyman the Magnificent

The mosque in Xian [formerly Chang'an The eastern end of the "Silk Road" While this building dates only from the 1700s CE, the first mosque in Xian was built on this spot in the early 700s CE, that is, just a few decades after Muhammad died!

This project will give you the chance to work on several related themes in world history before 1400.  There will be4 parts (and introduction and conclusion) to it, and you should submit everything as one assignment at least by Monday, June 26.  Be sure to include all four parts!  You should include in your project at least 1 paragraph of introduction, at least at least two paragraphs for each of the 4 parts, and 1or 2 paragraphs of conclusion.  Your introduction should tell the reader what you are going to provide in the project - so it should probably be written after you have done most of the work.  And then your conclusion should sum up what you have done, and it should relate directly to the promises you make in the introduction.  

The four sections of the project are the following.  In each you should include at least 2 paragraphs [and you may find it useful to include other information, such as maps, etc.

1. Why was the Silk Road given its name?  Where did it go?
2. What was carried along the Silk Road?  What were the products, ideas, and goods traded?
3. Who were the traders?  
4. What are the effects for both the East and the West of this trade?

The "silk road" was not really a road, but several routes, and it certainly was not made of silk!  But we call it by that name today because silk was one of the most important reasons for its existence and was perhaps the most important product transported across it over many centuries.  

This map is not entirely accurately identified for the purposes of this project.  The reddish purple line from China to Mesopotamia is partially correct;  only partially because the routes actually followed the Euphrates River north west to reach the Mediterranean and then on to Constantinople and Rome.  Some of the sea routes shown in blue were also part of the "silk road" as well.  And the lists of traded goods changed from the ancient period to include a great many more - including of course Silk!  But the map is a good one as an introduction to this project because it does show most of the regions serviced by the Silk Road or Silk Routes if one wants to be more accurate.  

During you work on this project, we recommend that you look again at those sections of the textbook which offer information on east-west relations and trade.  For example you might want to reexamine the following - since you will have read these before, it is just a matter of review:

• The Persian Empire - pp. 31 - 33 - and looking again at the map of this empire on pg. 29.
• Trade in ancient India - pp. 49.
• The emergence of religions which would become important across the Silk Road - including Hinduism and Buddhism - pp. 49-56.
• Silk in ancient China - obviously, silk would be important for this project! - pp. 72-73
• You will want to look again at the maps on pp. 83 and 84 and the text surrounding them.  After all, one of the ends of the Silk Road was somewhere in China.
• One of the important contributors to the Silk Road was Alexander the Great - look again at pp. 114 - 119 and the maps on pp. 115 and 118 to remind yourself why this was so.
• Trade and commerce expanded over the Silk Road during the period of the Roman Empire - look again at pp. 138 - 140, and especially again the map on pg. 139.  You may also want to glance over again the comparison made in the textbook between Rome and Han China on pp. 154 - 155.
  

Some websites that we recommend your looking over for information for this project are:

•     International Dunhuang Project.  This is at the British Library in London.  It will, when completed, have lots of information and pictures - drawn from 100,000 manuscripts, paintings, textiles and artifacts from Silk Road sites.  It was first put online only in December, 2005, and is currently being "built."  It will never be "finished" as they will always find new information to be included.  But it has enough now to be useful for your project.
•     The Silk Road Foundation.  This foundation supports research and archaeology, in cooperation with the Department of Archaeology at the Mongolian National University.  The site now contains the most recent reports from work during the summer of 2005, and will also be continuously updated with the results of new research projects.  On the left of its webpage, you will find lots of links which can help you with this project too.
•      The Silk Road Project - This site also has links to quite a lot of very useful information, including a good map of the entire region.  You might be able to use it in Part 1.
• One of the best sources for information on the Silk Road is online from Saudi Aramco World - you can easily search for Silk Road.  A recent issue of their journal is online too - it focuses on "The Indian Ocean and Global Trade."
  

Links to information to use and questions to answer in each of the 4 parts:

• Part 1  -  Why is it called "silk road" and where did it go?
• Part 2  -  What goods and ideas were exchanged?
• Part 3  -  Who were the traders?
• Part 4 - What are the effects for both the East and the West of this trade?

In your conclusion - 2 paragraphs - you will want to discuss the effects of all of this contact along the Silk Road on the societies at each end and if possible in between.

When you have completed the project, put it in your team Silk Road Project dropbox. If you have any questions about the project, post your question in the Silk Road Project forum (an instructor will answer the question; others may have the same question so putting it in the forum will be of great value). do not hesitate to contact your instructor if you need further help or the answer you get in the forum does not address your concerns.

Don't forget, the due date is Monday, June 26 and place completed project in your team Silk Road Dropbox.

Good luck with this project.  We hope you learn a lot from it!