the silk road, history homework help

By the turn of the millenmiun into the Common Era (around the time of Jesus), a series of trade routes had developed from China south into India and east into Southeast Asia and west into Central Asia and onto the Middle East.  Initially, the main commodity transported along these trade routes was silk, hence the name.  Later, other goods traveled back and forth along these routes.  After reading the article linked on your weekly lesson plan about the Silk Road, the one designated by the word “Mandatory” in red, plus reading ahead to other chapters (see the index for page njumbers), what was the full importance of this series of land trade routes to the development of trade in Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe up to abut 1400?