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The Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative silk that was traded there.

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The Silk Road was like the internet people did not just trade items, but they traded ideas as well. The Silk Road helped giant empires, Kingdoms and, everyone generate trade.

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The Silk Road was over 4,000 miles long.

Marco Polo traveled to Asia, Central Asia,to China along the Silk Road.

Not all that was traded along the Silk Road was good. It is thought that the bubonic plague, traveled to Europe from the Silk Road and killed almost half of the population in London.

Very few merchants traveled along the entire route. Goods were traded at many cities and trade posts along the way then were traded to many places like a relay race.

There wasn't just one route, but many routes. Others took longer, but where safer. Some were also shorter, but more dangerous.

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Marco Polo was an amazing traveler. He was born in the 13th century in Venice (September 15th in 1254 and died on January 8th 1324), a powerful trading city in Italy. Marco's father and uncle were among the first European traders to make their way east all the way to China along the Silk Road. When they came back to Venice, part of their mission was to obtain certain items like letters and some oil from the lamp at the Holy Sepulchre from the Pope in Rome. The items had been requested by Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of what was the largest empire in the world, which included China. When they set out of the far east they took 17-year old Marco with them. He became a good friend to the ruler. Marco served for court and was sent on missions. We know a lot about Marco because it was recorded in a book. After a year returning he was found in prison after being captured by the Genoans. Marco Polo remained on his hole expedition for 24 years. He  wrote his book in prison.

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The Silk Road was a network of trade routes which connected the East and West. It was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century. The Silk Road goes to Rome, Baghdad, Samarkand, Turpan, Anxi, and Xi'an.

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Bactrian camels are the ancestors of all domestic camels. They were found in the deserts of Mongolia and northwestern China. They are now found in few isolated places. They are two humped camels and are extremely well adapted to the desert climates. They have dense eyelashes and narrow nostrils that close tightly during sandstorms. Their two-toed feet have connective tissues between the toes that allows their feet to spread to make it easier to walk around on the sand. Their humps store excess fat, allowing them to go without food for many days. When they locate water, they can drink up to 57 liters at one time. Some have even been able to drink salt waters. They used camels to haul carry goods for long distances.

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Merchants would bring their goods to the market in the trading town, then would sell or trade them before leaving for his journey again. Traders hardly ever traveled the whole entire Silk Road because they traded with others as they went. The height of trade occurred during the Tang Dynasty  (618-907 CE) in China. Objects such as silk, fur, spices, jade, bronze, iron, and lacquer objects in exchange for gold, gems, ivory, glass, perfumes, and textiles. Buddhism was a very important religion in China and made its way from India to China via a Silk Road route. The Silk Road Route had a sharp decline in the tenth century as Europe entered into a period called the Dark Ages. The Second Crusades in the thirteenth century was a time when European armies tried to spread Christendom into lands held by non-Christians. When the Crusaders would return home, they brought goods from the East-like silk and spices. The sky remained the same for the travelers, so it was easy to travel. The main trade routes lay between 30 and 40 degrees latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. The Silk Road was a bit like today's Internet, a place where information could be exchanged over thousands of miles. The end of the trade on the Silk Road ended in the fifteenth century. The Ming Dynasty closed after years from (1368-1644 CE). Persians and Italians eventually learned how to manufacture silk, which made the western demand for silk low.

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People had to find ways to make it across the water and land. The Romans had to brave the cold, hot, and dry elements on their trip to discovering new lands to settle. One of the most famous overland routes was the trade route called Silk Road. The Silk Road were interconnected roads and trails weaving their way from east to west. They brought new merchandise to all of the towns and villages. The routes connected to each  other and to the Mediterranean, India, and the Far East. It began over 2,000 years ago when a Chinese emperor sent and emissary to the west in search of good horses. The Romans saw the first piece of silk fabric from China and wanted more of it.

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The Silk Road was Very long and had many Routes.

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The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9