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Course: World History Project - Origins to the Present > Unit 5
Lesson 3: Old World Webs | 5.2- READ: Archipelago of Trade
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Guilds, Wool, and Trade — Medieval England in a Global Economy
- WATCH: Guilds, Wool, and Trade — Medieval England in a Global Economy
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Silk and the Song Dynasty
- WATCH: Silk and the Song Dynasty
- READ: Zheng He (Graphic Biography)
- READ: New World Networks, 1200–1490s
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Pre-colonial Caribbean
- WATCH: Pre-Colonial Caribbean
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Aztec Empire
- WATCH: Aztec Empire
- READ: Macuilxochitl (Graphic Biography)
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Inca Empire Overview
- WATCH: Inca Empire Overview
- READ: Trade Networks and the Black Death
- READ: The Renaissance
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Disease!
- WATCH: Disease!
- Old World Webs
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BEFORE YOU WATCH: Silk and the Song Dynasty
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.
First read: preview and skimming for gist
Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.
Second read: key ideas and understanding content
Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- According to Francesca, where was silk produced in the era of the Song Dynasty, and what were some of the most important export markets?
- According to Professor Xiaolin Duan, how did the economy work during the Song Dynasty? Who made silk, in particular?
- Other than clothing, what other uses were there for silk?
- According to Professor Duan, was the silk trade part of a wider Afro-Eurasian trading system? How?
- What does the Pictures of Tilling and Weaving tell us about who did most of the work to produce silk?
- Does Professor Duan believe that there was an industrial revolution in China in this period? What evidence is there for it?
Third read: evaluating and corroborating
Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
- Chinese silk is one example of a local commodity that was traded across extensive regional networks. The silk trade reshaped both communities and networks in China and across much of Asia. Can you think of anything that is or was once made in your community? Where does that good get distributed? Who produces it? How does that industry affect your community, and how do you think it impacts other places?
- How would you tell the story of silk differently in each of the three course frames—community, networks, and production and distribution?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.
Want to join the conversation?
How would you tell the story of silk differently in each of the three course frames(3 votes)
Song dynasty is cool(3 votes)
done learned most of this.(1 vote)