Classical Period Interactions Map Activity
600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.
Map A: Classical Civilizations
A. Classical Mediterranean:
B. Classical Mediterranean & Southwest Asia:
C. Classical Mediterranean:
D. Classical India:
E. East Asia:
F. Classical India:
G. Southwest Asia/ Middle East:
H. Mesoamerica:
I. Andean South America:
1. What geographic observations can you make about the Classical empires?
2. How do the Classical empires geographically differ from the early or core civilizations?
Map B: Major Cities of the Classical Period
Cities served as centers of trade, public performances of religious rituals, and political
administration for states and empires. Label the following major cities of the Classical period
along with their civilization.
Major Classical Cities in AfroEurasia: Africa, Europe, & Asia
Major Classical Cities in the Americas: Mesoamerica
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Map C: Empires and Trade c. 100 C.E.
1. What benefit did the imperial governments (the empires governments) get from protecting the routes
inside their borders?
2. Which bodies of water would merchants use to transport their goods?
3. In which regions were camels and camel saddles used effectively for travel along these routes?
4. What were the effects of trade along the Silk Road?
1. What is similar about these two sculptures? Why would the sculptures share similarities?
2. What is different about these two sculptures? Why would the sculptures have differences?
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Map D: Spread of World Religions, c. 600 C.E.
1. To which regions did Buddhism spread? What trade routes did missionaries use?
2. To which region did Hinduism spread? What trade routes did travelers use?
3. To which regions did Christianity spread? What trade routes did missionaries use?
4. How did these religions change as they spread?
5. Why do you think the statues of Buddha look similar despite different origins for the statues?
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Map E: Seasonal Monsoon Seasons
1. What trade route was most affected by the seasonal monsoon winds?
2. What purpose did seasonal monsoon winds have on trade?
3. What role did the dhows and lateen sails have on trade?
4. What were the effects of trade across the Indian Ocean network?
Big Picture Question: How did trading networks and geographic factors influence interactions in the classical
period?
Map F: Classical Period Trade Routes
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Using the provided resources, identify and label/draw the major trade routes of the classical period: Eurasian Silk
Roads (E/W and N/S Eurasian routes), the Trans-Saharan caravan routes, the Indian Ocean sea lanes, the
Mediterranean Sea lanes, the Black Sea, and the Americas. Create a key on your map to differentiate between
trade routes.
Using your Development of Communication and Networks reading and other resources, identify goods, ideas,
technology, etc… that traveled on each of these major trade routes.
Draw lines with arrows to show where goods were traded from and where they were traded to. Or, you can label
this information in the area the products originated and indicated where they spread to. Be sure to actually list the
products traded, technology used, ideas spread, etc...
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