https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/activity-opener-what-s-in-your-suitcase 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Activity: What's In Your Suitcase? Imagine yourself as a Silk Roads merchant. What would you pack? How would you maximize the profits of your journey? article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/article-indian-ocean-routes-origins 2025-09-11T23:01:03.793775027Z Indian Ocean Routes At the start of this period, the Indian Ocean was the center of wold trade. The world's largest empires traded in this diverse network of merchants from all over Afro-Eurasia. article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/graphic-biography-zheng-he 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Zheng He Graphic Bio Zheng He was the great admiral of the Ming Dynasty. Were his expeditions peaceful trade voyages or threatening campaigns of conquest and imperialism? article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/silk-and-the-song-dynasty 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Silk and the Song Dynasty Silk: more than just nice for clothing, it funded the rise of Song Dynasty China and was the lynchpin of the largest trading system of the medieval world. English wool and Indian cotton, while important as trade goods across pre-Mongol Eurasia, couldn’t compete. Silk was used for intricate art, as the currency that paid large armies, and as the symbol of imperial power. With the help of Dr. Xiaolin Duan, we explore both the myths, and the history, that made Song Dynasty China a silk powerhouse. World History Project video https://cdn.kastatic.org/googleusercontent/ZCdwTudJg6e6n-P2gsaUborP4izvMsGo71pvEVlX9dNYWcLXcP7VHkWpn2grt4TUP1KoJLQP9NswyHBuBLSFTBw Silk and the Song Dynasty Silk: more than just nice for clothing, it funded the rise of Song Dynasty China and was the lynchpin of the largest trading system of the medieval world. English wool and Indian cotton, while important as trade goods across pre-Mongol Eurasia, couldn’t compete. Silk was used for intricate art, as the currency that paid large armies, and as the symbol of imperial power. With the help of Dr. Xiaolin Duan, we explore both the myths, and the history, that made Song Dynasty China a silk powerhouse. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/DM2uEidro5Y.mp4/DM2uEidro5Y.mp4 748 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/watch-guilds-wool-and-trade-medieval-england-in-a-global-economy 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy We might think of the Afro-Eurasian trading system as an archipelago of trade—a chain of overlapping trade circuits and trading cities. In the thirteenth century, England was at the far end of this archipelago of trade. England’s most valuable trade good was wool, which it exported to Western Europe and the Mediterranean. The best wool in Europe came from England, and England’s economy ran on wool. The wool trade helped empower an English merchant class. By the fourteenth century, these merchants organized into a guild that gave them more power and privileges in English society. World History Project video https://cdn.kastatic.org/googleusercontent/ZCdwTudJg6e6n-P2gsaUborP4izvMsGo71pvEVlX9dNYWcLXcP7VHkWpn2grt4TUP1KoJLQP9NswyHBuBLSFTBw Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy We might think of the Afro-Eurasian trading system as an archipelago of trade—a chain of overlapping trade circuits and trading cities. In the thirteenth century, England was at the far end of this archipelago of trade. England’s most valuable trade good was wool, which it exported to Western Europe and the Mediterranean. The best wool in Europe came from England, and England’s economy ran on wool. The wool trade helped empower an English merchant class. By the fourteenth century, these merchants organized into a guild that gave them more power and privileges in English society. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/a-f0F_XL-RA.mp4/a-f0F_XL-RA.mp4 570 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/activity-comparing-the-silk-and-wool-trades 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Activity: Comparing the Silk and Wool Trades It's time to compare how the silk and wool trades affected societies in Europe and Asia. article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/article-trans-saharan-trade-routes 2025-08-12T03:52:41.296842565Z Trans-Saharan Trade Routes An extensive trading network stretched across the Sahara Desert, linking the wealthy empires of West Africa to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/mansa-musa-and-islam-in-africa-crash-course-world-history-16 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa In which John Green teaches you about Sub-Saharan Africa! So, what exactly was going on there? It turns out, it was a lot of trade, converting to Islam, visits from Ibn Battuta, trade, beautiful women, trade, some impressive architecture, and several empires. John not only cover the the West African Malian Empire, which is the one Mansa Musa ruled, but he discusses the Ghana Empire, and even gets over to East Africa as well to discuss the trade-based city-states of Mogadishu, Mombasa, and Zanzibar. In addition to all this, John considers emigrating to Canada. Crash Course World History is now available on DVD! http://store.dftba.com/products/crashcourse-world-history-the-complete-series-dvd-set Follow us! @thecrashcourse @realjohngreen @raoulmeyer @crashcoursestan @saysdanica @thoughtbubbler Like us! ‪http://www.facebook.com/youtubecrashcourse Follow us again! ‪http://thecrashcourse.tumblr.com Support CrashCourse on Patreon: http://patreon.com/crashcourse video https://cdn.kastatic.org/googleusercontent/fsNzDH9BQrDnpyJzpHVk_vKBeXKpVHsEmLvBPIhZC8QbrjY8g_GvyHK_P0ORexJiNIa-2RH1T5hfcK-Mm-mvVPgP Mansa Musa and Islam in Africa In which John Green teaches you about Sub-Saharan Africa! So, what exactly was going on there? It turns out, it was a lot of trade, converting to Islam, visits from Ibn Battuta, trade, beautiful women, trade, some impressive architecture, and several empires. John not only cover the the West African Malian Empire, which is the one Mansa Musa ruled, but he discusses the Ghana Empire, and even gets over to East Africa as well to discuss the trade-based city-states of Mogadishu, Mombasa, and Zanzibar. In addition to all this, John considers emigrating to Canada. Crash Course World History is now available on DVD! http://store.dftba.com/products/crashcourse-world-history-the-complete-series-dvd-set Follow us! @thecrashcourse @realjohngreen @raoulmeyer @crashcoursestan @saysdanica @thoughtbubbler Like us! ‪http://www.facebook.com/youtubecrashcourse Follow us again! ‪http://thecrashcourse.tumblr.com Support CrashCourse on Patreon: http://patreon.com/crashcourse https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/jvnU0v6hcUo.mp4/jvnU0v6hcUo.mp4 631 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/activity-contextualization-mansa-musa-origins 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Activity: Contextualization—Mansa Musa An incredibly wealthy ruler, Mansa Musa both shaped and was shaped by historical circumstances. In this activity, you'll examine Mansa Musa and his world. article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/a/activity-closer-unit-5-notebook-part-2 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Activity: Unit 5 Notebook—Part 2 How has your understanding changed since the beginning of the unit? Time to revisit the Unit 5 Notebook from the first lesson. article https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/e/5-7-practice 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Expanding the Silk Routes Practice what you learned in lesson 5.7! Jessica Shattuck exercise https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/prosperity-in-song-china-960-1279 2022-10-11T01:58:02.027441565Z Prosperity in Song China (960-1279) Overview of innovation and causes of prosperity and stability during the Song Dynasty (both Northern and Southern Song Dynasties). First movable type block printing, government sanctioned paper money, gunpowder, etc. video https://cdn.kastatic.org/googleusercontent/2X3sdtRp5644SqgSQCS1j21vyS1P2O_97996e9J4h1kq5PsE-BJhGMenv6Hp6EPOSU0ETKTZmXgKTOUT3iLCKDe1ew Prosperity in Song China (960-1279) Overview of innovation and causes of prosperity and stability during the Song Dynasty (both Northern and Southern Song Dynasties). First movable type block printing, government sanctioned paper money, gunpowder, etc. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/CBjLSRfqoAg.mp4/CBjLSRfqoAg.mp4 276 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/classical-japan-during-the-heian-period-world-history-khan-academy 2022-10-11T01:58:02.027441565Z Classical Japan during the Heian Period An overview of classical Japan. Chinese influence merges with Japanese culture. Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki.  video https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka_thumbnails_cache/2e9d4d06-cc4a-4d88-8dad-0eabd0855923_1280_720_base.png Classical Japan during the Heian Period An overview of classical Japan. Chinese influence merges with Japanese culture. Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki.  https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/-5rBQO0VpWo.mp4/-5rBQO0VpWo.mp4 223 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/v/shoguns-samurai-and-the-japanese-middle-ages 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Shoguns, samurai and the Japanese Middle Ages The late Heian period in Japan saw the rise of a powerful warrior class, leading to the establishment of the bakufu system or shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo. This marked the start of medieval Japan, a decentralized feudal system with the shogun at the top, followed by regional lords or daimyo, and their supported warrior class, the samurai. Despite internal conflicts, Japan successfully defended against Mongol invasions. The arrival of Portuguese traders introduced guns, aiding daimyo Oda Nobunaga in unifying Japan. This set the stage for the Edo period, the beginning of modern Japan. video https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka_thumbnails_cache/49712292-8212-4e37-8a44-8a17b200778d_1280_720_base.png Shoguns, samurai and the Japanese Middle Ages The late Heian period in Japan saw the rise of a powerful warrior class, leading to the establishment of the bakufu system or shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo. This marked the start of medieval Japan, a decentralized feudal system with the shogun at the top, followed by regional lords or daimyo, and their supported warrior class, the samurai. Despite internal conflicts, Japan successfully defended against Mongol invasions. The arrival of Portuguese traders introduced guns, aiding daimyo Oda Nobunaga in unifying Japan. This set the stage for the Edo period, the beginning of modern Japan. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/zLHwRTNbcjI.mp4/zLHwRTNbcjI.mp4 387 Expanding the Silk Roads | 5.8 https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/x66f79d8a:regional-webs/x66f79d8a:expanding-the-silk-roads-5-8/e/focus-on-state-building--song-china 2026-06-30T12:40:47.173333589Z Song China Read passages and answer questions about Song China. Rosie exercise