The Silk Road: Connecting East and West

Mission Brief #9

🎯 Your mission

Walk into the past. Find out who, what, and why.

⚡ The twist

What seemed obvious then is often shocking now (and vice versa).

Read

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean. Merchants carried silk, spices, and ideas across thousands of miles, linking diverse civilizations.

Key facts

Remember these

1Oral histories preserve community stories.
2Primary sources come from the time of the event.
3Historians use evidence to support claims.

Timeline

When it happened

c. 130 BCE
Han China opens trade routes to Central Asia
1271
Marco Polo sets out for China
1453
The Ottomans capture Constantinople

Then & Now

People still argue about this. Now you'll see why.

Question 1 of 2

What is an artifact?

How sure?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Which is a secondary source?

How sure?😐 maybe

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You got 0 of 2 right.

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Why this still matters: Every road sign, every flag, every holiday — there's history hiding inside.

🏆 Try this week: Ask a grown-up what the world looked like when they were your age.

👨‍👩‍👧 At dinner: “What's something from history you wish you could see in person?”

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