University of California Irvine: The Silk Road

What was the the Silk Road and how did it radically expand the scope of trade? What was the value of silk, and how did connections between merchants reshape lives in Africa and Eurasia? Find out by watching this historic episode!

Young explorers may not be able to travel the Silk Road but they can listen to music that was played on instruments of the time and create their own songs with the help of an interesting interactive resource. 

Introduce learners to The Silk Road, the first world-wide web. The narrator of this short, animated video traces the pioneers of globalization and the impact they had on culture and economy. The Scythians, Darius the First, and Alexander...

Learners examine cultural diffusion. In this Silk Road instructional activity, learners research primary sources to compare and contrast the religious beliefs encountered and shared by those who traded along the Silk Road route.

The vibrant network opened up exchanges between far-flung cultures throughout central Eurasia. The Silk Road wasn't a single route, but rather a vibrant trade network that crisscrossed central Eurasia for centuries, bringing far-flung...

A comprehensive history of the development of Buddhism in India that also addresses its spread into China via the Silk Road, reaching its height during the Sui Dynasty.

A map showing the locations of cities that participated in trade along the Silk Roads, stretching from Italy to Japan. Each red dot is provides information about the location and links to a UNESCO page with more in-depth information...

Students determine how the geographic features of the Silk Road trade route contributed to the economic development and diffusion of culture in both Eastern and Western Civilizations.

A virtual tour of the Silk Road from Rome to China. Discusses history and impact of this ancient trading route, and important sites along the way. [14:34]

Assignment from virtual learning module in which students label a map of the Silk Road route with physical features, then take a virtual tour to research goods, artifacts and ideas traded along the way. Students also complete a graphic...