Timeline: Trade

• 7500 BCE
  Long-distance trade in obsidian begins.
• c. 2800 BCE - c. 1900 BCE
  The rise of the great Indian cities of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.
• c. 1900 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
  Trade flourishes between Mesopotamia and other regions.
• c. 620 BCE
  Posible founding date for Ostia, the port of Rome.
• 138 BCE - 126 BCE
  Zhang Qian, as envoy of Emperor Wu, opens up the 'Silk Road' trading route between China and central Asia.
• c. 1 CE
  First non-stop voyages from Egypt to India.
• 200 CE
  Completion of the Roman road system.
• 1505 CE
  The Portuguese begin to attack cities and build forts along the Swahili Coast in order to control trade.
• 1565 CE - 1815 CE
  The Manila galleons each year take eastern trade goods from Manila to Acapulco (and return with American silver).
• 20 Mar 1602 CE
  The Dutch East India Company is founded by the States-General of the Netherlands to monopolize trade in Asia, build forts, raise armies, negotiate treaties, and manage the spice trade in the region. The company lasted until 1799 when it was dissolved.
• 8 Apr 1605 CE
  The city of Oulu in Finland is founded by Charles IX of Sweden to control trade in the region. It became a major trading center, growing into the largest city in Northern Finland, and remains a significant cultural center today.
• 14 Jan 1641 CE
  The Dutch East India Company conquers Malacca, ending Portuguese control of the region and securing Dutch control of the Malacca Strait trade route.
• 23 Jun 1812 CE
  Great Britain formally repeals the Order in Council placing restrictions on American commerce, the central cause of the War of 1812. The USA had declared war on Great Britain on 18 June 1812 but, because of the time it took for Britain's decision to reach North America, the news did not arrive until mid-August when the war was already underway. The British legislation repealing the Order in Council made the war pointless – but it proceeded anyway.