Chapter - 3 The Making of a Global World
1. Pre-modern World
- Gloablisation:- The movement/exchange of goods, capital, services, idea and people from one nation to other nations is called globalisation.
In Ancient time:- Travellers, Traders, Priests and Pilgrims travelled long distances for various purpose,
- Knowledge, Opportunities, Spritual full filment
- Millennia:- A millennium is a period of 1,000 years. The plural is millennia.
- Cowries:- Cowries are small, shiny, seashells that were used as a form of money or currency in many ancient societies.
- Cultural exchange (ideas, religion, technology) also took place along these routes.
1.1 - The Silk Route – Linking the World
What was the Silk Route?
- The Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that connected Asia, Europe, and parts of Africa.
- It’s called the "Silk Route" because silk, especially from China, was one of the most valuable goods traded.
- It wasn’t a single road, but a series of land and sea routes.
Goods Traded
- From China: silk, porcelain, paper
- From India: spices, textiles, precious stones
- From the Middle East and Europe: glassware, wine, gold, and more
More Than Just Trade
- The Silk Route also helped exchange:
- Ideas: religions like Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam spread along these routes.
- Technologies: such as paper-making, gunpowder, and printing.
- Cultures: art, language, and food habits were shared between distant regions.
Importance in Global History
- It shows that globalization isn’t a modern concept.
- People, goods, and ideas were moving across continents for centuries.
- It helped create economic and cultural connections long before modern transport and communication.
Question:- Was the silk route only used for trade?
1.2 Food Travels – Spaghetti and Potato
Food as a Global Traveller
- Food items have always moved across regions and countries along with trade, migration, and conquest.
- As people traveled, they brought their eating habits, seeds, and farming techniques with them.
Spaghetti from China?
- Many think of spaghetti as a traditional Italian food.
- But noodles were first made in China, and from there, they spread to Europe, where they were adapted into spaghetti.
- This shows how a Chinese invention became a European staple.
Pasta and Sicily
- Today, we think of pasta as a classic Italian dish, but it has a global history.
- Pasta was introduced to Sicily (an island in Italy) by Arab traders many centuries ago.
The Story of the Potato
- The potato came from South America (Peru, Bolivia) and was introduced to Europe by Spanish conquerors in the 16th century.
- It became very important in Europe because:
- It was cheap to grow.
- It fed the poor, especially in Ireland and Eastern Europe.
- Helped increase population because of better nutrition.
But: Over-dependence on potato led to tragedy—like the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s when crops failed.
Food Item Origin Traveled To Impact
Noodles China Europe (as spaghetti) Became key in Italian cuisine
Potato South America Europe, India, etc. Fed poor, increased population, caused famines when failed.
1.3 Conquest, Disease and Trade
The European conquest of the Americas led to major changes in global trade, population, and economies — mostly with negative effects on indigenous people.
The Discovery of the Americas:- In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the continent of America (while trying to find a sea route to India).
- After this, European powers (like Spain and Portugal) began to conquer and colonize large parts of North and South America.
- America:- In 16th century, America was very rich in term of resources (Different foods, crop, precious metals, silver).
- What people think:- In america there was a city (" El - Dorado" - The City of Gold).
Mid 16th century (Conquest)
- Portguese and Spanish conquest and colonizes America.
- Along with weapons, the Europeans brought diseases like:- Smallpox, Measles, Influenza
- The native people had no immunity (due to Isolations) to these foreign diseases.
- As a result, millions died — some historians estimate 90% of the native population perished.
- This made it easier for Europeans to conquer the Americas.
Till 18th Century:- Europe become the centre of world trade.
- India and China was the richest country in the world.
- In 15th Century China restricted overseas contact and retreated into isolated from world trade.
- Due to Isolation America began to rise grdually and become centre of world trade.
Questions:-
What do you mean by Globalisation?
What is importance of Silk Route in Ancient time?
Why Travellers, Traders, Priest traveled?
What is another name of Pasta and Noodles and which country it origin or travelled to?
What is the meaning of El-Dorado?
How Europe becom the centre of world trade?
How Europe conquest in America?
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