Key words:
To what extent – to the degree or scale to which something has changed
Change – the act or instance of making or becoming different
What was life like before regarding trade?
Europeans traded with Asians long before the Early Modern World. The Crusades introduced Europeans to many luxury goods from Asia, carried on complex overland routes through the Mongol empire. The trading center of the world was the Mediterranean Sea which was a link between three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. The Black Death and the breakup of the Mongol empire disrupted the trade. By the 1400s, though, Europe’s population was growing, along with the demand for trade …show more content…
New Foods and Animals – Europeans brought from America new foods, including tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, potatoes, and corn that helped feed Europe’s growing population. Europeans also carried a wide variety of plants and animals to the Americas, including wheat, grapes from Europe, bananas and sugar from Africa and Asia. Cattles, pigs, goats, and chicken joined the Native American diet. Horses and donkeys transported people and goods.
The Global Population Explodes – the Columbian Exchange sparked the migration of millions of people. Europeans settled in Americas, as well as on the fringes of Africa and Asia. The Atlantic slave trade forcibly brought millions of Africans to the Americas. Native American population was devastated by the transfer of European diseases, such as smallpox and measles.
Capitalism Emerges – expanded trade, an increased money supply, and the push for overseas empires spurred the growth of European capitalism. As trade increased, entrepreneurs sought to expand into overseas ventures. Entrepreneurs and capitalists helped change local European economies into an international trading