Ryan+Moffo

April 12, 2010 Dear journal,

Today I traveled to Xi'an. I went there to sell the my silk clothes that I have made since I'm a merchant. Along the way, I found a type of caterpillar that spins silk. I also saw a band that had may instuments such as the cymbals and moon lute. When they all played together, it made a very harmonious sound. The way they made the silk was a lot different from the way I made mine too. Tomorrow I will arrive at Turfan.

April 13, 2010 Dear journal,

Day 2 of my journy along the silk road. I came to a stop at Turfan today which is surprisingly an oasis. Their irrigation systems were also very advanced. Water that flowed down from the mountains went through the irrigation system until it reached the crops. It seemed like a vacation there! They had so much food and recipes, I wish I could of stayed there longer. My favorite recipe was called Bazmaward which was a rolled-up sandwich. It had cooked chicken, 2 thin sheets of bread, salt, and a lot of other things.

They also had very elegant clothing there. Their hats and jewelry made it seem like they were living in luxory. Their clothes were made of skins, gems, and feathers. They also had foreign foods. Like a Japanese pear or French wines. Tomorrow I will reach Samarkand, I hope it is as wonderful as Turfan!

April 14, 2010 Dear journal,

Samarkand is like a merchant's paradise! There were about 500 merchants in front of me when I got there. They sold everything from food to clothes. Caravans and camels all came rushing in every minute. I was able to sell a few thing I got from Turfan and Xi'an for 3 times as much as I bought it for! They also had one thing that was very valuable to them, paper. The process of making it seemed very hard. It came from the pulp of a plant. Tomorrow I will travel to Baghdad, I'm loving this journey.

April 15, 2010 Dear journal,

Toady I made it to Baghdad. It is the capital of the Islamic world. It was also a city full of scholars. Great minds from all over came there to go to a library called the House of Wisdom. Glass was a very important thing in Baghdad. It wasn't just glass though, it was what they did to it. It was called glass blowing. You first had to mix three ingrediants, sand, soda ash, and lime. Then you would heat it until it melted. Next you would dip the end of a blowpipe into the melted glass. Finally you would blow a bubble and you would be able to shape the glass with various tools until it dries. My journy along the Silk Road has been both fun and a chance to learn a lot!

An Era of Inventions New inventions during the Han Dynasty helped Chinese workers produce more than ever.

Millers used newly invented waterwheels to grind more grain.

Q:(Miners used new iron drill bits to mine more what?) A:Miners used new iron drill bits to mine more salt.

Ironworkers invented steel.

Q:(Paper was used by whom?) (For what?) A:Paper was use by government officials. It was used to record a growing amount of imformation.

Doctors discovered that certain foods prevented disease. They used herbs to cure illnesses and eased pain by sticking thin needles into patient's skin. Q:(What is this treatment called?) A:This kind of treatment is called acupuncture.

The Chinese also invented the rudder which was a new way to move the sails of ships. Q:(Why was this important?) A:It allowed ships to sail in the wind for the first time. It also allowed merchants to sail to the islands of Southeast Asia and into the Indian Ocean. As a result, China's trade grew and expanded to as far as the Mediterranean Sea and India.

May 20th, 2010

Q:How many people could a colosseum hold? A:It was built to hold at least 50,000 spectators.

Q:When was the colossuem built? A:It was built around A.D. 70 by slaves.

Q:How many entrances did the colosseum have and why? A:It had 76 entrances and they had 76 entrances to be able to have 1 entrance to every section. Also 2 for emperor Titus and 2 for the gladiators.

Q:What events were held in the colosseum? A:Gladiators would fight against beasts and other gladiators for the entertainment of others. They also held live executions.

Q:What is a gladiator and what did they do? A:A gladiator is an armed warrior (usually with a sword). They would fight other gladiators, vicious animals, and criminals.