19.+Effects+and+Evolution+of+Trade+Routes

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Synopsis This chapter is about the effects and evolution of trade routes. From the **Silk Road** to the **Industrial Period**, and the **Information Age** to the **Green Generation**, trade routes have been essential to cultural diffusion, __advancements in scientific thought__, cultural diversity in a small area, and much more. To understand what is happening in today's global economy we must look to the past, to the economic developments of cultures. Starting with the Silk Road, we will try to make sense of what is happening and what may be yet to come.

This chapter interacts with many of the other projects, if not all of them. Because of the complexity of this issue some data may be wrong or corrupted, so please inform us if this happens. It will use data from other chapters and helpful input in other's projects will come in to play. By combining all available data, we will try to figure how trade routes are shaped, and how this happens and what happens to the economy from this.

=__Brief History__=

__Alex Garrison, Zackary Walters, Dillon Kittle, & James Robinson__
The first major land routes stretched from the coast of China to the Mediterranean Sea, after which point people and goods were transported by boat.. These routes, the Spice Routes, Incense Route, and the famous Silk Road, were mainly controlled by Muslims in the Middle East (Is this one causes of the Crusades?) who were highly advanced in European eyes, and so were the Chinese. The Muslims also controlled the known sea routes, this gave them almost complete dictation of trade. As time and trade progressed, however, the Europeans gained vital instruments used for sea travel, mapping, and warfare. These were the compass, astrolabe, and their inventions, the cannon and gun. With these tools the Europeans entered a new era which is known as the **Age of Exploration**.

The **Age of Exploration** is best known for the European colonization of the world, as well as the first wildly spread discovery of the Americas (The Vikings were the first Europeans, but left after failed attempts to settle due to attacks from native peoples). The now powerful nations then competed for control of global trade. This led to the birth of piracy, the slave trade in the Americas, and navel and on ground wars, between the most powerful countries: Britain, Spain, Portuguese, and France. The power struggle affected the entire world economy: the British gained control of most areas after the defeat of the Spanish Armada; they imposed new taxes, tariffs, and embargoes from certain areas to another; they had a series of campaigns to expand their already sizable empire. The British Government even forced people to work where the government wanted them to. This led to a large strain on the colony's respect for the other country since they had no say in the matter.

At about the same time Europe underwent a change in their mindset, the Renaissance. This time period showed the world the ideas of the great thinkers of the time, many of which helped the future. Machiavelli's "The Prince" defined when one is in power how to keep it, by looking kind and sincere while at the same time being aggressive and decisive. Also new ideas were widely spread, this was used to a better effect with the invention of the printing press. In the late 1700s the world began a global power-shift in trade route control. Following the American Revolutionary War, European colonies started to rebel and win their independence, causing major resources to change possession and brought many different countries into global prominence. Heavily used trade routes were now split among many different countries.

During WWII, Hitler tried to remain out of the global economy. Hitler said "the economy is something of secondary importance". He stopped trade with Europe even though they relied on him for trade.

+vehicles ++automobiles-With the invention of cheap readily available vehicles, such as Ford's Model T in 1908, came great potential in the automotive industries. This was mostly in part due to the ability to haul more goods than with carriages at a lesser overall cost. With the tinkering, updating, and upgrading of each generation we have diverged from the single cars from few manufactures ,such as Ford and Chrysler, to many vehicles with many different and sometimes foreign dealers, such as Ford Mustang(car-US), Ford F150(truck-US), Chevy Silverado(truck-US), Dodge Ram(truck-Us), Honda Accord(car-Japan), Toyota Tundra(truck-Japan), Mack Titan(heavy duty truck-US). With this diversity we gain luxury cars, Ford Mustang and Dodge Viper, which also bring in illegal street races, to heavy duty shipping trucks, Mack Titan, that can weigh 26,001 lbs (11,800 kg) or more, and even to the common family cars for day to day life, Honda Accord.
 * __The evolution of trade routes.__**

With the fluctuating economy and shifting prices of gasoline, however, combined with a dependence to vehicles for shipping, when the gas goes up, shipping goes up, therefore cost of goods skyrocket to pay for this deficit. The future of Green Technologies may hold the solution for this dilemma: solar, hydrogen, and electric (in order for cheapest overall refill cost from least to greatest) cost less than gasoline to refill/recharge meaning a lower addiction to fossil fuels, lower shipping costs, lower cost of goods, AND THEY'RE 99% ECO-FRIENDLY.

++ships-Shipping is the most influential to the global economy because it carries the bulk of international trade. Many of the ships being built today are nuclear powered (less pollution[what is, however is radioactive] and cost with more power but need much more care and maintenance). However, with all ships come with the death of animals, sonar interferes with whales' mating calls, fish are rammed, or they are caught in the propellers.

++air travel- The beginning of the cargo plane line began with the air mail planes of 1911 and later. By the mid 1920s, airplane manufacturers were designing and building dedicated cargo planes. Government types

=__Some Q. and A.__= Q. How do trade routes affect the global economy? A. Trade route are a determining factor in supply. If one can control the trade route they can control the amount of trading traffic to certain places or even stop it.

Q. How do trade routes affect the military capacity of a country? A. The trade routes do not just transport goods, it also transports ideas and military strategies amongst the cities a trade route goes through. A trade route can move new tech or military ideas to and from a city or country.

Q. How does that relate to the global economy? A. War can be a stimulator or a drainer of the global economy. Each countries 'war machine' or also called 'the grinder' actual is similar to a moving country that uses much resources as it continues. Trade routes, mainly roads today, are needed to gain footholds and rapid transportation of troops; therefore' they have not only an economical stand point but also a strategic one.

Q. How would government type affect this? A. Different governments have different exports and imports, and have different methods of transporting goods in or out of the countries. They would also need different types of goods.Also different governments act and react to other governments differently. For Example, Imperialists and communists are treated worse than Democracies, **USUALLY.** Capitalism is also favored over Marxism and Socialism. With these relations trade and other relations are closely governed.

Q. Why are these routes most often plagued by thieves and pirates? A. Due to their vulnerability, repeated use, and the amount of goods carried on them they are prime targets for bandits to gain a quick buck by thrift, ransom, etc... The growing concerning this however has made shippers more aware of the threat, a good example was the recent hostage case when a ship was boarded by pirates. Because of these events the shippers are arming themselves and fighting the bandits every step of the way when needed.

Q. How do the trade routes become increasingly faster and more direct? A. By newer technology and better methods of transportation.

Q. What does the future of Green Technology have in store for us, the economy, the environment, and trade? A. 1. Green Technology won't burn fossil fuels meaning more lining for the wallets(theoretically speaking) 2. Without fossil fuels burning the air will be cleaner from pollution, thanks to the plants doing what they do best. 3. With the production of Green technologies will come a need for jobs, production and maintenance, that will replace those needed for the extraction and production of fossil fuels. 4. With the promise of cheaper better cars consumers will buy the Green-cars, this will provide a much needed economical boost. 5. The cost of goods wont fluctuate as much because the source of power used by shipping vehicles will be in an abundant renewable supply. 6. New international scientific rivalries will be sparked, much like a renewal in scientific thought (Scientific Revolution), meaning there will be competition to see who can build better Green technologies. SUMMARY- mass production of cheaper and increasingly better vehicles = economical stimulus!! Chuck Norris is THE future of trade!He trades roundhouse kicks with THE WORLD!

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