You may be wondering what was going on outside of the area of the Mediterranean during this time.  What about China?  Did the Chinese trade with the Phoenicians, Egyptians, or other civilizations? 

During the Qin Dynasty, China was ruled by Qin Shi Huangdi, also known as First Emperor of Qin. Under his rule, the emperor established a strong central government, and he also standardized writing, currency, and weights and measures.

Source: Painting, Qinshihuang, Hardwigg, Wikipedia

The emperor is also created with creating an advanced system of roads, and most notably, forming the Great Wall of China.

Watch this video about the Qin Dynasty.

• Did the Qin Dynasty do more to open China to trade or further isolate China from the rest of the world?  Explain.  Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

  Sample answer

  The Qin dynasty helped expand trade through unifying China and ending the Warring States period, allowing for more economic interaction. The Qin also helped open the famed Silk Road to bring China's goods to the rest of the world.

Remember the ship we discovered at the very beginning of this resource?  Considering what you’ve learned about these civilizations: 

• Speculate as to what the Phoenician ship might have been carrying in the amphorae.  Do you believe it was travelling to or coming back from another civilization?  Explain your reasoning.
• How could these early trade networks set the stage for future, more advanced empires? Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

  Sample answer

  The Phoenician ship could have goods from throughout the Mediterranean. These could be cedar and royal purple dye from Phoenicia, food from Egypt, or wine and wool from Greece. The amphorae probably did not have Chinese goods because the Phoenicians died out as a distinct people before the opening of the Silk Road. However, these early trade networks helped draw together the economies of the region. They provided a potential empire with the goods they needed to feed and equip an army. The trade networks also helepd spread technological advances that would enable skilled generals to conquer other civilizations.