Major States and Empires In 1500 A.D.

It is important to know where the major states and empires were around 1500 A.D., since the historical developments that you will explore throughout this course will be based on this map of the world.

Download a printable version of the map above to use as a reference throughout the course.

Trade between different regions has always been important in the exchange of new ideas and technologies. In this topic, you examined four major trade routes that were important prior to 1500 A.D. The Silk Road linked East Asia to the Middle East and then to Europe. Some of the major products transferred on this route were paper, compasses, silk, and porcelain. A maritime route across the South China Sea was also considered an extension of the Silk Road. This route linked China with Southeast Asia and the territories currently occupied by Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Early maritime routes across the Indian Ocean linked parts of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia into a network of ports specializing in textiles and spices. Cultural transfers involving language and the spread of Islam were also important byproducts of trade. The spread of Islam accompanied traders who travelled the Trans-Saharan trade routes between North and Sub-Saharan Africa bringing gold, salt, and ivory. Trade in medieval Western Europe was centered on rivers and ocean ports, while Northern European trade routes linked it to the Baltic Sea.

These trade routes and the exchange of information ignited the cultural revolution of the Italian Renaissance, which would then spread throughout Europe.