How did an agricultural surplus relate to expanded trade during the High Middle Ages?

Question

Responses

Trade increased because surplus crops could be traded.

Trade decreased because surplus crops were needed to feed local populations.

Trade decreased because surplus crops led to an oversupply of grains that could not be sold.

Trade increased regionally but decreased globally because trade networks had shrunk.

Answer 1

Trade increased because surplus crops could be traded. As farmers were able to produce more food than they needed to sustain themselves, they could trade the excess for other goods and services. This led to the development of more complex trade networks and the growth of local and regional economies during the High Middle Ages.