Respond to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis or claim that establishes a line of reasoning. Describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
Support an argument in response to the prompt using specific and relevant examples of evidence.

During the period 1200–1450, the Silk Road trade networks and the trans-Saharan trade networks facilitated a flourishing trade in luxury goods across Afro-Eurasia.

Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which the introduction of new transportation technologies or commercial practices affected the Silk Road trade networks compared to the trans-Saharan trade networks in this period.