T.R.C.S
Humanities
Mohammad Jawwad
11/7/09
Revival of Trade
After, fall of the Roman Empire in the 400s, trade nearly became extinct in
Europe. During the middle ages, the manor made or grew anything they needed to
survive. Following the crusades, which led to the revival of trade, and that led to the
collapse of feudalism in Europe. One of the first sites of revitalization of trade was in
Italy. As of trade, Italy’s location became a favored place to do business. Trade is the
most vital part, for a region or a country to flourish or survive. With new ideas being
exchanged it led to the renewal of trade, Rennaisance, positive and negative effects on
life, as they know it. The reinforcement of trade helped new business and new
innovations such as capitalism and investing prosper.
Due to the crusades taking place in the time, Italian city-states such as Genoa,
Pisa, and Venice business was prospering. From the trading centers Italian city-states
carried crusaders to Palestine. When they returned home they brought back goods such as
fruits, spices, and many other exotic from Asia. This overland trade route caused the
growth and increasing wealth of the city trading ports. In parts of the Europe such as
Kiev became imperative trading routes. The Vikings from Kiev traveled to
Constantinople from where they collected goods from Asia and fetched it back to cities in
Europe. Flanders part of Belgium, France and Netherlands also, become a trading path
connecting with several other trade routes. Some of the new technological innovations
were faster ships, development of compasses, and learned how to read stars.
The restoration of trade persuaded the disintegration of feudalism, for people
required knowledge beyond that found in Europe. People in the feudal society were tired
of being stuck on lands with the kings. The public wanted to move up in life and become
richer and, feudalism didn’t offer any sovereignty. The crusades increased European
demand for Asian exotic goods for; Europe had never seen or tasted any of these
varieties of foods and goods. This caused Europeans to leave their land and explore the
world beyond Europe. Asia supplied Europe with fruits, grains, and rugs in exchange for
their own goods. The Europeans were enticed making them famished for new
advancements in technological, bullion, spices knowledge, culture, etc. A new spirit of
trade encouraged Europeans, and curiosity added to their desire to voyage to the east.
New forms of social systems emerged with the revitalization of trade. During, the
middle ages it was the development of system of manufacturing. A worker completes a
task such as spinning; weaving and then the owner would sell it at a higher price. Also,
new business opened, which included banking. Besides exchanging currencies at fairs,
they lend money to rulers, nobles and merchants. Also, Europeans begin investing in
capital. Capital is wealth earned, saved, and invested to make profits. These three things
directed to the creation of market economy. In a market economy land, individual people
controlled labor and capital. As trade increased, towns grew larger and richer. Skilled
workers joined to form craft guilds. Merchants and masters became the middle class.
They were between nobles and peasants. With the end of feudalism the new capitalist
way of living offered social mobility. The serfs moved to cities to find jobs for, they were
no longer bound by land.
Along with revival of trade there was a new uproar called the Renaissance,
meaning rebirth. The Renaissance was a philosophical and artistic movement and it
flourished in Italy. It marked the renewal of interest in Greek and Roman literature and
life. A new emphasis on the power of human reason developed, and various advances
were made in arts and science. The ruins of the Roman Empire reminded the Italians of
the Roman glory. It also, brought along the birth of European culture, literature, science,
legal system, governments, and many other important things. The rich believed English,
Italian, German, French, were the languages of the uneducated people. The Renaissance
was also, the birth of humanist. Humanists are people who study classical manuscripts;
they believe that it was important to understand how things work, for that reason they
emphasize education.
Trade was the center of everyone’s attention till the black plague spread
amongst the people. In other words the Black Death is an epidemic form of a bubonic
plague. The Black Death originated in Asia and extended along the busy trading routes.
The disease spread to people by bites from fleas on black rats. It killed an estimated 25
million people in Europe.
The crusades helped revived business in Europe in many ways. It enhanced trade
between Europe and Asia. Trade is the most vital part, for a region or a country to
flourish. The Europeans demanded the exotic Asian spices and foods. Exchange of ideas
and food helped improve people’s way of living. Trade led to the creation of
manufacturing, banking and investing. Those three influenced to create a market
economy. Trade brought an end to feudal society, and rise of economy society. With the
new era the Renaissance it was awakening them of the Roman glory.