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Period: 90,000 BCE to 7000 BCE
Prehistoric Era
During the Prehistoric Era, human migration out of Africa headed towards India. -
Period: 5000 BCE to 1000 BCE
Ancient Era
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3500 BCE
Bronze Age
Development of bronze technology, leads to Bronze Age period -
Period: 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
Harappans
During this time, the Harappans descended to the Indus Valley where they made progress in the fields like town planning, house building, trading, etc. -
1000 BCE
Monsoon Wind Pattern
Discovering seasonal monsoon winds, along with the ability to navigate by the stars, mariners sailed across the Arabian Sea in open water. -
1000 BCE
Empires involved in Trade
Mauryan Empire in India, the Han Dynasty in China, the Achaemenid Empire in Persia, and the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean -
1000 BCE
Goods Traded
Silk from China graced Roman aristocrats, Roman coins mingled in Indian treasuries, and Persian jewels show up in Mauryan settings. -
1000 BCE
Religion
Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism spread from India to Southeast Asia, brought by merchants rather than by missionaries -
Period: 1000 BCE to 300
Classical Era
Contacts and trade expand -
600 BCE
Iron
Iron metallurgy is known in China -
31 BCE
Caesar Augustus
Caesar Augustus rules the Roman Empire -
Period: 300 to 1450
Medieval Era
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618
Tang Dynasty
Emphasized trade and industry, while developing strong trade ties along the land-based silk Roads, and encouraged maritime trade -
960
Song Dynasty
Similar to Tang Dynsasty, also emphasized trade and industry, developing strong trade ties along the land-based Silk Roads, and encouraged maritime trade. Created imperial navy to control piracy on the Eastern end of the route. -
990
Compass
First reference to Chinese invention of the compass -
1050
Astronomical Instruments
Astronomical instruments from the Middle East begin to arrive in Europe -
1405
Ming Dynasty
Yongle Emperor of China's new Ming Dynasty sent out the first of seven expeditions to visit all of the empire's major trading partners around the Indian Ocean. Treasure ships traveled all the way to East Africa, and bring back emissaries and trade goods from across the region. -
Period: 1450 to
First Global Era
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1498
Europe Intrudes
Portuguese entered the Indian Ocean trade as pirates rather than traders. Using a combination of bravado and cannons, they seized port cities in southern China. They robbed and extorted local producers and foreign merchant ships alike -
1545
Silver
Spanish discover silver in Potosi, Bolivia -
Dutch East India Company
Sought a monopoly on spices -
British
British joined their British East India Company, challenging the VOC for control of the trade routes -
European Powers
Established political control over parts of Asia, turning Indonesia, India, Malaya, and a portion of Southeast Asia into colonies, therefore, reciprocal trade dissolved. Goods moved to Europe, and the former Asian trading empires grew poorer and collapsed -
Trading Factory
British establish trading factory in Calcutta, India -
Period: to
Industrial and Imperial Era
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Cotton Production
Mechanized cotton production expands in the United States -
Period: to
20th Century and Globalization
