Trade 1200-1450

Before the era of 1200-1450, developed countries and religions were changing and cultures molded how empires operated. The Silk Road opened, countries were in their infancy, and religions like Christianity were developing with the lifetime of Jesus Christ. As time went by, traveling for reasons other than religion started, and people started developing empires and long-distance trade. During the 12-1400s, new empires started trading with people close to them geographically, trading across continents, to eventually the first steps of maritime trade, and continually, people traded in search of land. Firstly, people in the 12-1400s traded with those close to them geographically. People developed and grew inter-regional trade. People traded luxury goods from China, like silk, cotton
The best example of this is the camel in the Middle East and Africa. The trade of salt and gold on camelback caused countries like Mali to become more developed and prosperous, along with developing the trans-Saharan trade route. Because these developments were so successful, Africa and the Middle East’s economy prospered and affected trade in all of Afro-Eurasia. When trade caused a boom in Europe at the time, it resulted in the very first developments of maritime trade. Boat development caused both trade and exploration, the invention of boats like the Tressure Fleet Boats in China called Dhows helped catalyze the creation of the Indian Ocean trade route. People like Marco Polo, an Italian merchant, were able to travel from Europe to China. Things like timber and textiles were traded by boat. Because of these developments in their early stages, explorers later in history were able to travel across the globe to other continents. Continually, people traded in search of land. The most important empire at the time, the Mongols, pillaged much of Asia for land and