Assignment Prompt & Instructions
**files (3)**
– ## deepdiveweek8.docx
– ## directionsforgloballiteracyassignmentextracredit.docx
– ## globalliteracyhistory110.pdf
**## deepdiveweek8.docx**
**Assignment 1 300 words**
**Deep Dive Conversation 12: Crisis and Recovery in Afro-Eurasia**
Hello! Remember, conversations are meant to help us think about, digest, discuss, and question the issues we are confronting and the materials we are engaging. Pick something from the Deep Dive options that looks interesting, read (or watch or listen to) it, and then tell us about it. Some tips:
· Go beyond simple summaries of the item you selected
· Share what you found interesting, surprising, or significant about what you read (or viewed, or heard)
· Connect the item back to what we read and/or viewed for this module.
Let's be sure that our conversations are informal, open, and engaging dialogues (and keep in mind you are more than welcome to use the video function to record yourself—note that it may take a few minutes to save). You can review the tips for conversations
[here](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49327/pages/tips-for-deep-dive-conversations)—remember to check back through the module.
_Deep Dive options_(remember, select
**one** of these nine items to read, watch, or listen to):
Reading:
· JSTOR Daily:
[Keeping Time with Incense ClocksLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/keeping-time-with-incense-clocks/) [Links to an external site.](https://digpodcast.org/2019/11/24/black-death/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[Plague and Protest Go Hand in HandLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/plague-and-protest-go-hand-in-hand/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[The Landlord Asks for a Christmas RoseLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/the-landlord-asks-for-a-christmas-rose/)
**## directionsforgloballiteracyassignmentextracredit.docx**
Name of author: Name of reader 1:
**Reader 1:** Question development, thesis, argument, evidence
Examine the first paragraph. What question does the paper ask? ________________________________________
Circle what you think is the thesis. Is the thesis the last sentence of the first paragraph? Yes No
Does the thesis provide an answer to the paper's question? Yes No Maybe Explain: _________________________
Does the thesis preview the sources used ("by analyzing [x]")? Yes No Discuss: ____________________________
Does the thesis preview the supporting argument ("[example 1], [example 2], [example 3]")? Yes No
Look at the title. Does the title inform the reader of the paper's question and/or thesis? Yes No
Examine the third paragraph and any other paragraphs that use footnotes or other citations. Draw a line in the left margin next to these paragraphs. These are the analysis paragraphs. How many are there? _______________
What source(s) is (are) used by the author? __________________________________________________
Is the source relevant to the question and thesis? Yes No Does it come from the time period being studied? Yes No
How well does the author discuss the primary source instead of just quoting it? Very Well; Well; Okay; Not Well
Circle each citation. How many are there? _________ Read over the analysis paragraphs again. Circle any sentence that you feel needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian or another approved format (APA, MLA)? Yes No Somewhat
What advice do you have for the author?
Name of author: Name of reader 2:
**Reader 2:** Organization and style
Familiarize yourself with the circled thesis (first paragraph). Examine the second paragraph. Is it the background paragraph? Yes No Maybe
Does the second paragraph use source? Yes No
Does the second paragraph use a .com website as a source? Yes No Circle the citations in the paragraph. How many? _______ Circle any sentence that looks like it needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian format? Yes No Maybe
Quickly skim the analysis paragraphs. Read over the second paragraph again. Line out background information that you think is unnecessary or excessive.
Look over the analysis paragraphs and the concluding paragraph. Draw a box around the sentence in each paragraph that best summarizes the content of that paragraph (the topic sentence). The number of analysis + concluding paragraphs ______. The number of times the topic sentence is the first sentence in the paragraph ________.
Does the paper include a reflection section related to global literacy? Yes No
Read the reflection section. Indicate in the margin whether it is connected to being “enlightened citizens,” “globally astute leaders,” and/or “engaged solution creators.”
Read over the paper one more time. Start any place in the paper where you notice misspellings, awkward sentence constructions, typos, or vague statements.
What advice do you have for the author?
**## globalliteracyhistory110.pdf**
1
Veronica Williams
Dr. Taber
History 110
02 April 2026
2
Global Literacy Research Essay
Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and
cultural exchange between different regions of the world?
The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior
to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the
world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of
ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how
the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world
include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1
The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade
systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and
some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like
silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about
exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.
As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through
merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs
affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade
routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.
The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This
sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long
distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that
merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones
were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other
areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3
The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.
To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to
be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such
exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the
1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the
Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300.
2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305.
3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.
3
Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing
and formation of new identities in port cities.
Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.
These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the
North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles
were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence
of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating
trade routes and taxing traders.
Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders
and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the
West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and
Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a
demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as
cultural exchange.
Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence
between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to
receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were
distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the
evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems
are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization
and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships
between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the
connected globality as it is now.
In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes
of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links
throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were
transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural
exchange.
4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372.
5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.
4
Bibliography
Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World
from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
5
**## globalliteracyhistory110.pdf**
1
Veronica Williams
Dr. Taber
History 110
02 April 2026
2
Global Literacy Research Essay
Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and
cultural exchange between different regions of the world?
The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior
to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the
world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of
ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how
the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world
include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1
The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade
systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and
some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like
silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about
exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.
As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through
merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs
affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade
routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.
The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This
sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long
distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that
merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones
were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other
areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3
The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.
To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to
be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such
exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the
1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the
Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300.
2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305.
3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.
3
Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing
and formation of new identities in port cities.
Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.
These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the
North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles
were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence
of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating
trade routes and taxing traders.
Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders
and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the
West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and
Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a
demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as
cultural exchange.
Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence
between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to
receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were
distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the
evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems
are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization
and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships
between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the
connected globality as it is now.
In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes
of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links
throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were
transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural
exchange.
4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372.
5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.
4
Bibliography
Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World
from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
5
**## deepdiveweek8.docx**
**Assignment 1 300 words**
**Deep Dive Conversation 12: Crisis and Recovery in Afro-Eurasia**
Hello! Remember, conversations are meant to help us think about, digest, discuss, and question the issues we are confronting and the materials we are engaging. Pick something from the Deep Dive options that looks interesting, read (or watch or listen to) it, and then tell us about it. Some tips:
· Go beyond simple summaries of the item you selected
· Share what you found interesting, surprising, or significant about what you read (or viewed, or heard)
· Connect the item back to what we read and/or viewed for this module.
Let's be sure that our conversations are informal, open, and engaging dialogues (and keep in mind you are more than welcome to use the video function to record yourself—note that it may take a few minutes to save). You can review the tips for conversations
[here](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49327/pages/tips-for-deep-dive-conversations)—remember to check back through the module.
_Deep Dive options_(remember, select
**one** of these nine items to read, watch, or listen to):
Reading:
· JSTOR Daily:
[Keeping Time with Incense ClocksLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/keeping-time-with-incense-clocks/) [Links to an external site.](https://digpodcast.org/2019/11/24/black-death/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[Plague and Protest Go Hand in HandLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/plague-and-protest-go-hand-in-hand/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[The Landlord Asks for a Christmas RoseLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/the-landlord-asks-for-a-christmas-rose/)
**## directionsforgloballiteracyassignmentextracredit.docx**
Name of author: Name of reader 1:
**Reader 1:** Question development, thesis, argument, evidence
Examine the first paragraph. What question does the paper ask? ________________________________________
Circle what you think is the thesis. Is the thesis the last sentence of the first paragraph? Yes No
Does the thesis provide an answer to the paper's question? Yes No Maybe Explain: _________________________
Does the thesis preview the sources used ("by analyzing [x]")? Yes No Discuss: ____________________________
Does the thesis preview the supporting argument ("[example 1], [example 2], [example 3]")? Yes No
Look at the title. Does the title inform the reader of the paper's question and/or thesis? Yes No
Examine the third paragraph and any other paragraphs that use footnotes or other citations. Draw a line in the left margin next to these paragraphs. These are the analysis paragraphs. How many are there? _______________
What source(s) is (are) used by the author? __________________________________________________
Is the source relevant to the question and thesis? Yes No Does it come from the time period being studied? Yes No
How well does the author discuss the primary source instead of just quoting it? Very Well; Well; Okay; Not Well
Circle each citation. How many are there? _________ Read over the analysis paragraphs again. Circle any sentence that you feel needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian or another approved format (APA, MLA)? Yes No Somewhat
What advice do you have for the author?
Name of author: Name of reader 2:
**Reader 2:** Organization and style
Familiarize yourself with the circled thesis (first paragraph). Examine the second paragraph. Is it the background paragraph? Yes No Maybe
Does the second paragraph use source? Yes No
Does the second paragraph use a .com website as a source? Yes No Circle the citations in the paragraph. How many? _______ Circle any sentence that looks like it needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian format? Yes No Maybe
Quickly skim the analysis paragraphs. Read over the second paragraph again. Line out background information that you think is unnecessary or excessive.
Look over the analysis paragraphs and the concluding paragraph. Draw a box around the sentence in each paragraph that best summarizes the content of that paragraph (the topic sentence). The number of analysis + concluding paragraphs ______. The number of times the topic sentence is the first sentence in the paragraph ________.
Does the paper include a reflection section related to global literacy? Yes No
Read the reflection section. Indicate in the margin whether it is connected to being “enlightened citizens,” “globally astute leaders,” and/or “engaged solution creators.”
Read over the paper one more time. Start any place in the paper where you notice misspellings, awkward sentence constructions, typos, or vague statements.
What advice do you have for the author?
**## globalliteracyhistory110.pdf**
1
Veronica Williams
Dr. Taber
History 110
02 April 2026
2
Global Literacy Research Essay
Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and
cultural exchange between different regions of the world?
The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior
to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the
world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of
ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how
the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world
include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1
The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade
systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and
some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like
silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about
exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.
As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through
merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs
affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade
routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.
The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This
sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long
distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that
merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones
were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other
areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3
The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.
To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to
be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such
exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the
1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the
Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300.
2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305.
3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.
3
Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing
and formation of new identities in port cities.
Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.
These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the
North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles
were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence
of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating
trade routes and taxing traders.
Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders
and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the
West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and
Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a
demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as
cultural exchange.
Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence
between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to
receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were
distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the
evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems
are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization
and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships
between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the
connected globality as it is now.
In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes
of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links
throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were
transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural
exchange.
4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372.
5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.
4
Bibliography
Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World
from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
5
**## deepdiveweek8.docx**
**Assignment 1 300 words**
**Deep Dive Conversation 12: Crisis and Recovery in Afro-Eurasia**
Hello! Remember, conversations are meant to help us think about, digest, discuss, and question the issues we are confronting and the materials we are engaging. Pick something from the Deep Dive options that looks interesting, read (or watch or listen to) it, and then tell us about it. Some tips:
· Go beyond simple summaries of the item you selected
· Share what you found interesting, surprising, or significant about what you read (or viewed, or heard)
· Connect the item back to what we read and/or viewed for this module.
Let's be sure that our conversations are informal, open, and engaging dialogues (and keep in mind you are more than welcome to use the video function to record yourself—note that it may take a few minutes to save). You can review the tips for conversations
[here](https://uncfsu.instructure.com/courses/49327/pages/tips-for-deep-dive-conversations)—remember to check back through the module.
_Deep Dive options_(remember, select
**one** of these nine items to read, watch, or listen to):
Reading:
· JSTOR Daily:
[Keeping Time with Incense ClocksLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/keeping-time-with-incense-clocks/) [Links to an external site.](https://digpodcast.org/2019/11/24/black-death/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[Plague and Protest Go Hand in HandLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/plague-and-protest-go-hand-in-hand/)
· JSTOR Daily:
[The Landlord Asks for a Christmas RoseLinks to an external site.](https://daily.jstor.org/the-landlord-asks-for-a-christmas-rose/)
**## directionsforgloballiteracyassignmentextracredit.docx**
Name of author: Name of reader 1:
**Reader 1:** Question development, thesis, argument, evidence
Examine the first paragraph. What question does the paper ask? ________________________________________
Circle what you think is the thesis. Is the thesis the last sentence of the first paragraph? Yes No
Does the thesis provide an answer to the paper's question? Yes No Maybe Explain: _________________________
Does the thesis preview the sources used ("by analyzing [x]")? Yes No Discuss: ____________________________
Does the thesis preview the supporting argument ("[example 1], [example 2], [example 3]")? Yes No
Look at the title. Does the title inform the reader of the paper's question and/or thesis? Yes No
Examine the third paragraph and any other paragraphs that use footnotes or other citations. Draw a line in the left margin next to these paragraphs. These are the analysis paragraphs. How many are there? _______________
What source(s) is (are) used by the author? __________________________________________________
Is the source relevant to the question and thesis? Yes No Does it come from the time period being studied? Yes No
How well does the author discuss the primary source instead of just quoting it? Very Well; Well; Okay; Not Well
Circle each citation. How many are there? _________ Read over the analysis paragraphs again. Circle any sentence that you feel needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian or another approved format (APA, MLA)? Yes No Somewhat
What advice do you have for the author?
Name of author: Name of reader 2:
**Reader 2:** Organization and style
Familiarize yourself with the circled thesis (first paragraph). Examine the second paragraph. Is it the background paragraph? Yes No Maybe
Does the second paragraph use source? Yes No
Does the second paragraph use a .com website as a source? Yes No Circle the citations in the paragraph. How many? _______ Circle any sentence that looks like it needs a citation but doesn't have one. Are the citations in Turabian format? Yes No Maybe
Quickly skim the analysis paragraphs. Read over the second paragraph again. Line out background information that you think is unnecessary or excessive.
Look over the analysis paragraphs and the concluding paragraph. Draw a box around the sentence in each paragraph that best summarizes the content of that paragraph (the topic sentence). The number of analysis + concluding paragraphs ______. The number of times the topic sentence is the first sentence in the paragraph ________.
Does the paper include a reflection section related to global literacy? Yes No
Read the reflection section. Indicate in the margin whether it is connected to being “enlightened citizens,” “globally astute leaders,” and/or “engaged solution creators.”
Read over the paper one more time. Start any place in the paper where you notice misspellings, awkward sentence constructions, typos, or vague statements.
What advice do you have for the author?
**## globalliteracyhistory110.pdf**
1
Veronica Williams
Dr. Taber
History 110
02 April 2026
2
Global Literacy Research Essay
Research Question: How did trade networks before 1700 create global interdependence and
cultural exchange between different regions of the world?
The networks of long distance trade had a significant influence on the world history prior
to 1700. These networks linked the societies of Asia, Africa, and Europe and other parts of the
world. Although trade enabled merchants to share valuable goods, it also promoted sharing of
ideas, religions, technologies and cultural traditions. Three notable examples that illustrate how
the trade brought about cultural exchange and global interdependency in the pre modern world
include the Silk Roads, the Indian ocean trade system, and the trans-Saharan trade routes.1
The Silk Roads was one of the earliest and the most renowned long distance trade
systems. These trade routes linked China and East Asia to Central Asia, the Middle East and
some parts of Europe. The merchants who utilized these routes used to trade luxury items like
silk, spices, jade, precious metals, and ceramics. Trade along the Silk Roads was not just about
exchange, however. Merchants and travelers also carried with them cultural and religious ideas.
As an example, the Buddhism religion was passed on to Central Asia and China through
merchants and the movement of monks through the routes. 2As time passed by, Buddhist beliefs
affected the art, architecture, and philosophy in most parts of Asia. This shows how the trade
routes contributed to the spread of religious and cultural traditions in various societies.
The Indian Ocean trade system was another significant trading system prior to 1700. This
sea route linked East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Long
distance sea trade was also more predictable and efficient due to seasonal monsoon winds that
merchants used to travel between ports. Spices, textiles, ivory, porcelain and precious stones
were some of the goods that were traded along these routes. Since merchants of numerous other
areas arrived in the same ports, these cities were centers of cultures. 3
The Indian ocean trade system also led to the emergence of culturally diverse societies.
To illustrate, some of the East African coastal cities including Kilwa and Mombasa turned out to
be major trading places where African, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders intermingled. Such
exchanges helped the Swahili culture to form, a culture that incorporated African culture with the
1 Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the
Beginnings of Humankind to the Present, 4th ed. (New York: W.W. Norton), 300.
2 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 305.
3 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 342.
3
Arabic language and Islamic faith. This indicates that trade networks promoted cultural mixing
and formation of new identities in port cities.
Another example of how trade bonded the world was the trans-Saharan trade routes.
These were routes that traversed the Sahara Desert and connected the West African region to the
North African region and the Mediterranean markets. Goods like gold, salt, ivory and textiles
were carried between these regions by camel caravans4. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
economies were particularly interested in gold resources of West Africa. This saw the emergence
of strong West African kingdoms like Ghana, Mali and Songhai who became rich by dominating
trade routes and taxing traders.
Trade along the Sahara also helped in spreading religion and education. Islamic traders
and scholars who passed by these routes brought the Islamic beliefs and learning tradition to the
West African cultures. Cities like Timbuktu turned out to be great hubs of scholarship and
Islamic learning, and students and scholars of other areas flocked them. This can be seen as a
demonstration of the fact that trade networks facilitated economic development as well as
cultural exchange.
Trade networks before 1700 therefore played a crucial role in creating interdependence
between different societies. Areas which specialized in specific resources depended on trade to
receive goods which were not local. Meanwhile, the ideas, beliefs, and knowledge were
distributed over great distances by merchants and travelers. These interactions impacted the
evolution of languages, religions, technologies, and cultural customs.5These early trade systems
are significant to understand in order to become globally literate. They show that globalization
and cultural exchange are not new things but have been in existence centuries ago. Relationships
between the peoples via trade contributed to the formation of the cultural diversity and the
connected globality as it is now.
In conclusion, the Silk Roads, the trade network of the Indian Ocean, and the trade routes
of the trans-Saharan trade demonstrate how trade established both economic and cultural links
throughout the globe prior to 1700. Through these networks, goods, ideas, and beliefs were
transferred across regions, leading to permanent patterns of global interdependence and cultural
exchange.
4 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 372.
5 Bentley and Ziegler, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 375.
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Bibliography
Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World
from the Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. 4th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
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