Trade

Throughout history different regions have been able to trade with other areas across the continents. Many factors helped facilitate this trade. Among these factors were the laws of supply and demand, the presence of middlemen, and common religions. Under the influence of these factors, silk, jade, dye, horses, and many other goods were traded throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. Not only did these factors increase trade, but it also helped spread ideas and culture across the world. This cultural diffusion led to new languages and literatures. Through a globalized trading network across Asia, Africa, and Europe, new goods and ideas spread across the world. The Silk Road was started by the Han Dynasty who ruled China from 206 BCE-220 AD.1 China had a great wall that kept out the nomadic Xiongnu tribes from raiding Chinese villages.2 This wall kept out invaders, but also made it harder for the Chinese to leave China to trade. The nomadic Yuezhi tribe fixed this problem. The Yuezhi traded their horses and jade for Chinese silk. Once middlemen, such as the Yuezhi received the silk, they traded it places across the world.3 These middlemen allowed for civilizations, such as the Chinese, to indirectly trade across the world without having to leave their borders.
The laws of supply and demand also affected trade in China. The Chinese did not have sufficient land to raise horses so they had to trade for them with the Yuezhi. These Horses helped the Chinese have a stronger defense again the Xiongnu tribes. The Chinese were dependent on the Yuezhi for horses because the Chinese used most of their available land for agriculture. This trade helped both the Yuezhi, and Chinese. The Yuezhi were able to obtain high demand goods such as silk that could be traded for even more goods in other areas of the world. The Chinese were able to obtain horses that helped them defend the kingdom better. As middlemen, the Yuezhi passed on these silks to other regions