Impact of Trade Routes in the Ancient World

The trade routes were the communications highways of the ancient world. New goods and raw materials, were transmitted by people moving from one place to another to conduct business (“"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History”). When the Ottoman Empire took control of Constantinople in 1453, it blocked European access to the area, severely limiting trade. In addition, it also blocked access to North Africa and the Red Sea; two very important trade routes to the Far East (“Begin Exploring the Age of Exploration with This Handy Overview”). The need of goods and resources was a major concern after the Crusade Wars. Europe was slowly starting to become urbanized. Villages were turning into cities and the population was growing rapidly (Cole). The need

They had no other choice but to look for alternative routes. The first of the journeys associated with the Age of Discovery were conducted by the Portuguese under Prince Henry the Navigator (“Begin Exploring the Age of Exploration with This Handy Overview”). By the 1400s, Portugal is strong enough to expand into North Africa, and they seize the coastal city of Ceuta in 1415. Their victory inspires Prince Henry, later known as Henry the Navigator, to organize voyages along the western coast of Africa (“Age of Exploration Timeline”). Newly formed Spain wanted to quickly catch up to the other European powers so they finance Christopher Columbus ' voyage to find a western trade route to Asia. Columbus lands in the Caribbean in 1492, convinced he has reached East Asia (BBC). His voyage opens the Americas to later European explorers (“Age of Exploration Timeline”). John Cabot sets out on a voyage from England. When he lands on the east coast of North America, he claims the land in the name of King Henry VII, mistakenly believing he is in Asia. (“Age of exploration Timeline”). Soon the French and Dutch join in to explore the new world. With this New World discovered tons of new resources and crops flourish into Europe. For example some of the new crops that were brought back to Europe

The discovery of the new world helped us expand the population of mankind to all corners of the globe. New resources were discovered, which helped us advance in our development as humans and increase the amount of goods we traded across the world. The discovery of the new world made once powerful countries fall and once underdog empires to rise to be some of the strongest in all of history. Every major European power helped a little in the making of the United States. The trading routes helped make who we are