The Silk Road by Lin Donn
The distance between ancient Rome and ancient China was about 4,000 miles by land. There were fierce deserts and high mountains in the way. It was a very dangerous trip. The Silk Road was a nickname for any route that any trader took from China to Rome.
For a very long time, the ancient Romans did not know who was making this wonderful fabric called silk. The Romans first discovered pieces of silk in the goods they took from some of the people they conquered, but those people did not know where the silk was made. The conquered peoples also traded some of their goods for the silk of unknown origin.
The Romans tried to find the traders as they came into villages to trade silk for other goods. But the traders hid from the Romans. They did not know who made the silk either. They had traded for it themselves. The trading along the Silk Road was a relay system. One trader would travel for a while, stop and trade, and return home. The next traveler would continue, stop and trade, and return home. And so it went. No trader made the whole trip. It was too dangerous. The desert had little or no water. The mountains were brutal. Sand storms would blow up out of nowhere. The snakes were poisonous. On top of the natural barriers, there were pirates.
The Romans were frustrated. The demand for silk in Rome had grown. Rome had gold and silver and precious gems. If they couldn't conquer "The Silk People", as the Romans called these unknown people, they could trade with them, but they couldn't find them.
The Romans sent out scouts to follow the "Silk Road" and find the "Silk People". Most scouts never returned. Those who did said they could not make it through the desert. They had to turn around and come back. This went on for a very long time.
As the years went by, a civilization of sorts grew up along the Silk Road. Temples appeared. There were even cities built on the rare oasis. It was never easy to travel by land from China to Rome, but it was worth it? Rome traded gold and gems for China's silk and spices, but more things traveled the Silk Road than traders and goods. Ideas traveled along the Silk Road as well, ideas that changed the world.
Name: ______Class: ___ Date: ______
Gone to Ancient China
During the year 1225, a group of Roman traders decided to travel and exchange goods from Italy to China. They will be traveling by ship, camel, and lastly by foot. The items on the next page are things they may want to take on their trading voyage. Each item has been given a number of points based on its size and weight. Your trade group must stick to the 50 point limit in order to travel. Study the items list and decide which items your family should take without going over the point limit. Explain your items list decision to me in the space provided below.
Items Listing:
Item / Point Value / Item / Point Value1. / 6.
2. / 7.
3. / 8.
4. / 9.
5. / 10.
Writing Assignment:
Gone To Ancient China Items List:
These are the items you may consider taking on your trading voyage. Your chosen 10 items may not go over the 50 point packing limit. Be sure to keep track of those points; they add up fast.
Item / Points / Place Ö Next to Item of Choice1 Horse / 15
1 Mule / 15
1 Milking Cow / 15
1 Plow / 10
20 pound Bag of Flour / 7
10 pound Slab of Bacon / 5
10 gallon Barrel of Water / 7
3 Blankets / 3
1 Kettle / 5
1 Shovel / 2
1 Saw / 1
1 Canteen / 2
Butcher Knife / 2
Candles / 2
Silver Candle Sticks / 3
Grandfather’s Portrait / 5
2 Bolts of Cotton Cloth / 3
Your Pet Dog / 1
1 Iron Skillet / 3
1 Sharpening Stone / 1
4 Pairs of Boots / 5
1 Butter Churn / 5
4 Coats / 5
20 pounds of Animal Feed / 7
1 Ax / 2
1 Silverware Chest / 4
1 Sewing Kit / 2
1 Coil of Rope / 1
2 Linen Shirts / 3
1 Feather Bed / 10
Kitchen Utensils / 1
1 Silver Bar / 5
1 Gold Bar / 10
25 pounds of Glassware / 3
Cheese / 3
Parchment (Paper) / 5
Wine / 5
Olive Oil / 3
Gems / 5
Bandages\Emergency Aid Kit / 5