The History of International Trade

First Maritime Clock

4500 BCE

The first watch that worked at sea. This clock revolutionized world trade, it was the first clock that could work under the conditions of salt water, humidity… This clock made international trade much more feasible for everyone to do. It was invented by John Harrison

The horse as a means of transporting goods

4000 BCE

Domestication of the horse as a means of transport for carrying goods and making long-distance journeys.

Wheel

3500 BCE

After the invention of the wheel, horses began to be domesticated as a means of transportation with dated carts, further increasing the time and efficiency of transporting goods.

First Boat

2500 BCE

The first boat was created, which increased efficiency in the transportation of goods.

The Caravan

2000 BCE

Camels were used as a means of transport for carrying goods.

Trade between India-Egypt and Phoenicia-Mesopotamia

1000 BCE

In ancient times, long-distance transport of goods was risky, localized markets, trade began to be seen between India-Egypt and Phoenicia-Mesopotamia.

The Scythians

700 BCE

The first agricultural civilizations were isolated in fertile river valleys because of the fear of the unknown that prevented them from traveling, but in the deserts they encountered nomadic tribes. The Scythians, who stretched from Hungary to Mongolia, came into contact with the civilizations of Greece, Egypt, India and China, the nomads began to spread goods, ideas and technologies between cultures that had no direct contact.

Persian royal road

500 BCE

One of the most important strands of this growing web, was the Persian Royal Road, completed by Darius the first in the 5th century BCE. With nearly 2,000 miles from the Tigris River to the Aegean Sea, its regular relay points allowed goods and messages to travel in about 1/10 of the time it would take a single traveler.

Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia

334 BCE

With Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia and expansion into Central Asia, the network of Greek, Egyptian, Persian and Indian culture and trade spread further east than ever before.

Zhang Qian

200 BCE

In the 2nd century BCE, Zhang Qian sent to negotiate with nomads in the west. Ambassadors sent to Persia and India to trade silk and jade for horses and -cotton.

The Silk Road

130 BCE

In 108 B.C., a caravan loaded with silk leaves China and crosses Persia, and it is thanks to this fact that the Silk Road is created. The Silk Road was a network of multiple trade routes that emerged over the centuries, spread across the Asian continent, and traveled by merchants from the 1st century BC.

Expansion of Buddhism

100

Spread of different ideologies, languages and religions around the world. Traders from India spread Buddhism mainly to China and Japan (1st century AD) Islam spread to the Arabian Peninsula in South Asia.

Arrival of new technologies

1187

Arrival of new technologies in Europe such as the compass.

Age of exploration

1400

It was the take-off of the discoveries and exploration by Europeans of maritime trade routes to get from Europe to Asia and to be able to supply themselves with the products that previously circulated along the silk route, and that was when the silk route ceased to be so important, since there were other means of supplying themselves.