Directions: For this discussion, you will be using the following PDF to complete these assigned “stations".
Each station has the name of the corresponding reading in the PDF file. You will use the reading to answer the questions in each station. Make sure that you answer each station fully.
Station 1 - The Start of the Renaissance
The Growth of Trade and Commerce - USE THIS PAGE FOR #'s 1-5
One reason for the flowering of culture during the Renaissance was the growth
of trade and commerce. Trade brought new ideas as well as goods into Europe. A
bustling economy created prosperous cities and new classes of people who had the
wealth to support art and learning.
Increased Contact Between East and West.
Starting in the 11th century, the Crusades strengthened contacts between
western Europe and Byzantine and Muslim cultures. Merchants brought goods and
ideas from the East that helped to reawaken interest in classical culture. In the 13th
century, the Mongol conquests in Asia made it safer for traders to travel along the Silk
Road to China. The tales of the Italian traveler Marco Polo sparked even greater
interest in the East. Food, art, and luxury goods, such as silk and spices, moved along
the trade routes linking Europe to Africa and Asia.
Cities, such as Venice and Genoa in Italy, were centrally located on the trade
routes that linked the rest of western Europe with the East. They became bustling,
prosperous trading centers that attracted merchants and customers, as did cities in
northern Europe, such as Bruges and Brussels. Trade ships carried goods to England,
Scandinavia, and present-day Russia by way of the English Channel and the Baltic and
North seas. Towns along the routes connecting southern and northern Europe, such as
Cologne and Mainz in Germany, provided inns and other services for traveling
merchants.
A New Economy
The increase in trade led to a new kind of economy. During the Middle Ages,
people bartered, or traded, goods. By the Renaissance, people were using coins to buy
merchandise, creating a money economy. Coins came from many places, so money
changers were needed to convert one type of currency [currency: the form of money
used in a country] into another.
As a result of all this activity, craftspeople, merchants, and bankers became more
important in society. Craftspeople produced goods that merchants traded across
Europe. Bankers exchanged currency, loaned money to merchants and rulers, and
financed their own businesses.
Some merchants and bankers grew very rich. With their abundant wealth, they
could afford to make their cities more beautiful. Wealthy patrons commissioned
(ordered and paid for) new buildings and art. They also helped to found universities.
Prosperous Renaissance cities grew into flourishing educational and cultural centers.
Station 1 – The Start of the Renaissance
Answer the following questions using the STATION 1- THE START OF THE RENAISSANCE PDF
What two things were brought into Europe that created a bustling economy, prosperous cities, and new classes of people?
What event strengthened contacts between Western Europe and Byzantine and Muslim cultures?
Describe how Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road helped spark interest in Eastern culture:
The increase in trade led to a new kind of money economy.
What were people using to buy merchandise?
What was the purpose of a “money changer”?
As a result of this new economy, who grew rich?
What were they able to do?
1 answer
Station 1 – The Start of the Renaissance
What two things were brought into Europe that created a bustling economy, prosperous cities, and new classes of people?
The two things brought into Europe that contributed to a bustling economy, prosperous cities, and new classes of people were new ideas and goods. The growth of trade and commerce facilitated this exchange, leading to increased wealth and support for art and learning.
What event strengthened contacts between Western Europe and Byzantine and Muslim cultures?
The event that strengthened contacts between Western Europe and Byzantine and Muslim cultures was the Crusades, which began in the 11th century. These military campaigns increased interactions and exchanges of culture, goods, and ideas.
Describe how Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road helped spark interest in Eastern culture:
Marco Polo's travels along the Silk Road sparked interest in Eastern culture by sharing tales of his experiences and the wonders he encountered in Asia. His accounts brought attention to the rich cultures, luxurious goods, and diverse societies of the East, leading to a greater fascination with these regions.
The increase in trade led to a new kind of money economy. What were people using to buy merchandise?
People began using coins to buy merchandise, transitioning from the barter system that was prevalent during the Middle Ages.
What was the purpose of a “money changer”?
The purpose of a “money changer” was to convert one type of currency into another. This service became necessary due to the variety of coins from different regions that merchants used for trading.
As a result of this new economy, who grew rich?
As a result of this new economy, merchants and bankers grew rich. Their involvement in trade and finance allowed them to accumulate significant wealth.
What were they able to do?
With their abundant wealth, they were able to beautify their cities, commissioning new buildings and artworks. Additionally, they supported the establishment of universities, contributing to the flourishing of educational and cultural centers during the Renaissance.
