Overview
Overview and Guidelines: Explore what life was like along the Silk Road (i.e., Silk Routes) in the late medieval and early Renaissance period through the eyes of those who traveled it as adventure seekers, missionaries, and traders. There is a rich history left to us by intrepid travelers who documented their journeys; some of these individuals described the “East” through “Western” eyes and vice versa.
DIRECTIONS: Choose at least one source that describes a Western perspective of the lands of the East (this could be the Middle East, Central Eurasia, or modern-day China) and at least one source examining a non-Western perspective. You’ll be required to exercise your own historical judgement to determine what source(s) will serve you best as supportive evidence.
You’ll want to consider the following:
- Introduce your source and provide background information on them (who are they? why did they travel the Silk Road? Etc.)
- How do they describe the culture(s) and people(s) they encounter?
- What theme(s) do they focus on (e.g., dress, language, religion, etc.)
- How does their vocation (aka, their job/profession) and/or worldview (e.g., Christian, Muslim) influence their perspective?
- What do you find challenging or problematic about their narrative? Please explain.
- How does their eyewitness history deepen our understanding of the Silk Road? Be specific.
- What makes this source a valuable lens for exploring the Silk Road and how does it differ from the textbook?
The paper should be about 750 words or 2-3 pages with a stand-alone references page in APA or MLA style. Listing a website URL is not a complete bibliographic entry.
At a minimum, your paper must contain two primary sources. Do not fall into the trap of presentism, which is, applying the standards of the present day to the events of the past. That is a classic mistake that students, and even some historians, make and being aware of such tendencies will help you avoid them. The textbook can be used for background and contextual information only—nothing more.
This is the work historians do and, though it can be challenging, it is also the most fun! While one source is required in favor and against, it would be wise to consider and read through several others to select the most appropriate sources as well as reach a mature understanding of historical research and the historian's work.
Sources:
- Several Accounts from Various Travelers between the 12th and16th centuries: https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/texts.htmLinks to an external site.
- William of Rubruck: https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/rubruck.htmLinks to an external site.
- Benjamin of Tudela: https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/tudela.htmLinks to an external site.
- Ibn Battuta: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/1354-ibnbattuta.asLinks to an external site.
- Leo Africanus: https://brians.wsu.edu/2016/11/04/leo-africanus-description-of-timbuktu-from-the-description-of-africa-1526Links to an external site.
- John of Plano Carpine: https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/carpini.htmLinks to an external site.
- Marco Polo: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/polo-kinsay.aspLinks to an external site.
What is a primary source? A document (or other artifact) contemporary to the time period or event under consideration (e.g., letters, memorandums, diary entries, etc.). To learn more about primary sources, visit this link: https://libraries.wsu.edu/how-do-i/determine-if-a-source-is-scholarlyLinks to an external site..
Sources that are not contemporary to the time period but discuss the topic are known as secondary sources. Our textbook is a good example of a secondary source—it covers the Silk Road but was not written at the time. A few things to keep in mind when working with primary sources:
Sourcing: considering the document's source and purpose. Can we take the source at face value or was there a motive behind its writing? Consider whether there is an apparent bias present.
Contextualization: placing the document in a temporal and spatial context. The historical time period itself should be considered--the textbook will be useful for this
Corroboration: comparing the accounts of multiple sources against one another. This is where you'll compare/contrast different primary sources against one another to create a narrative of your own making (Western and non-Western perspectives facilitated by the Silk Road).