To what extent do you agree that merchants were more important than explorers in connecting West and East?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that merchants were more important than explorers in connecting West and East. Candidates may offer equal coverage of the impact of explorers and merchants, or they may prioritize their assessment of one. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to the extensive role of the merchants and the ways in which they took on the role of interpreters, craftsmen and horse breeders. They did not just trade goods, they were also the transmitters of religion, ideas and culture. Explorers used the Silk Road as a means to better understand the geography and culture of the East. The writings of explorers such as Marco Polo gave Europeans a better understanding of trade and commerce in the East, which encouraged more merchants to travel. Candidates may argue that although the merchants expanded the impact of the Silk Road, it was the explorers that initiated and then globalized the Silk Road. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.