In this assignment, you will explore the Silk Roads transfer of goods, ideas, and diseases yesterday and today. Next, you will describe the diffusion of the Black Plague through the Silk Road trade routes. Finally, you will analyze population pyramids to reach informed opinions about issues ranging from the depletion of natural resources and the environmental, social, and economic tensions caused by the exponential growth in China. By studying the current population numbers and projections for the future, you will be able to predict consequences and make informed suggestions for solutions.

Learning Outcomes

• Compare the Silk Road to the Iron Silk Road.
• Analyze factors contributing to the location of the Silk Roads.
• Explore the diffusion of the Black Plague from Asia to Europe.
• Explain the relationships between the Silk Road and the Black Plague.
• Analyze population pyramids to interpret and hypothesize the population age and gender composition in China.
• Interpret numbers and proportions of males and females for each age group in China.

Chapter Sections

• 2.1 The Silk Roads
• 2.2 Trade and the Black Plague
• 2.3 China’s Population Demographics
• 2.4 References