TIMES OF CHANGE: THE EXPANSION OF TRADE

TIMES OF CHANGE: THE EXPANSION OF TRADE What impact might increased trade and business have on society’s worldview? The rise of international trade The Italian city-states

THE RISE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE • Marco Polo was the legendary trader who travelled to the far east to trade goods • He wrote a book about his travels to the area we know as China • Today scholars still debate how much of the account Polo actually experienced and how much he picked up from other merchants on the road

THE RISE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE • The Silk Road was the routes that connected civilization in the Mediterranean in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east • In addition to trade goods the intercultural contact led to exchanges of ideas and knowledge as well • Few of the travellers and traders on the Silk Road were European http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfe-eNq-Qyg&safe=active

THE CRUSADES AND TRADE • Trade between Venice and other Italian cities and the East had actually been re-established several centuries before the Polos’ journeys • It actually resulted from a religious wars between the Christians and Muslims called the Crusades • The land of Palestine contains religious sites sacred to the Jewish, Muslims and Christians • In the middle of the seventh century Muslims took control of the area and in 1095 Pope Urban II launched a Christian Crusade to drive out the Muslims • In all there were four crusades but at the end the Muslims were in control of all their lands

THE CRUSADES AND TRADE • Results of the Crusade • Contact with the Muslim world • trade • During this period, the Muslims were more advanced • Advances in medicine, astronomy, philosophy, mathematics were the result for Europeans • Muslim societies were inclusive and welcomed contributions of Christian and Jewish scholars • Following the Crusades Italian merchants brought back luxury goods precious jewels, rugs, fabrics and spices • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgDXmHnnlbA

MOVING GOODS AND RESOURCES • Today we have many ways of moving goods and resources • Goods needed to be moved at enormous expense to market towns on ships along the coast, on boats down along rivers, or overland by horse, mule or ox • Some areas had surpluses in minerals but would have to trade for cloth or manufactured goods • All trade is based on surpluses • The ships of the city-states competed with German and Dutch ships • When Canada was first discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1534, it helped to solidify a growing triangle trade network in the Atlantic • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPptlr0pL10&playnext=1&list=PL64B63D748EA9DBC7

THE ITALIAN CITY-STATES • Modern Italy was a collection of city-states during the Renaissance • A city-state is an area that is politically independent and the rural area around it • The rural area is referred to as the hinterland • Florence, Genoa and Venice were some examples

THE ITALIAN CITY-STATES • Reasons for success of the city-states • Advantageous geography • Closest to ports of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean • Advantageous climate • Long growing season and warm weather port

THE ITALIAN CITY-STATES • Reasons for success of the city-states • Different leadership structures • Not a monarchy like most in Europe also had wealthy trading and business leaders • Different social structure • Feudalism not nearly as strong, as a result mostly nobles had positions of influence in cities

ECONOMICS OF CITY-STATE ERA • One way wealth was accumulated was by merchants who purchased goods in one place and sold them for a higher price in another • Bankers made money by usury, the practice of charging interest when loaning money • During the Middle Ages the Catholic Church considered usury a sin • Due to the risks involved in trade like shipwrecks and robbery by pirates the Church changed its position on usury • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-HOz8T6tAo&feature=related&safe=active

ECONOMICS OF CITY-STATE ERA • As usury became more accepted, new business practices emerged

THE MEDICI FAMILY: A CASE STUDY • The Medici family was the most famous and powerful in Italy. • They were influential in the culture of Florence for over 300 years. • They made their fortune as wool and silk merchants before becoming bankers • They increased their power by • building alliances with other wealthy families • acquiring important positions in the church • marrying into some of Europe’s royal families • By 1434 Cosimo de Medici was powerful enough to take control of Florence

THE MEDICI FAMILY: A CASE STUDY • Under Cosimo’s leadership neighbouring city states found themselves either target of attacks like Sienna or alliance partners like Milan • The Medici’s made many enemies and by 1494, important family members were exiled from Florence and not allowed to return for many years • The most famous Medici was Comimo’s grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent • Known as a patron of the arts he sponsored Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsrRqsSM97U

TIMES OF CHANGE: THE EXPANSION OF TRADE