Well, to start, the Supreme Court could have ruled differently in Plessy v. Ferguson.
In Plessy, the Supreme Court condoned the practice of "separate but equal" making it permissible for the white south (and north) to create discriminatory practices.
The majority rule is limited by the supreme law of the constitution to protect the minority.
There are many differences and similarities between the two routes. The type of goods is just one example. The benefactors of the Silk Road, whereas the Indian Ocean route benefited the Chinese, Indian and Middle East alike.
Longitude is related to latitude, the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator. Lines of latitude are called parallels. Maps are often marked with parallels and meridians, creating a grid. The point in the grid where parallels and meridians intersect is called a coordinate.
