RACE Strategy Response:
Restate the question: The Phoenicians' willingness to travel far for trade significantly contributed to the spread of their civilization by establishing trade networks and colonies across the Mediterranean region.
Answer the question: Their extensive maritime trade routes not only facilitated economic prosperity but also led to the exchange of cultural practices, languages, and technologies, thereby enhancing their influence on other civilizations.
Cite evidence: According to "The Phoenicians: The People Who Changed the World" by Peter J. McKeown, the Phoenicians were adept sailors and traders who established bustling trade cities such as Tyre and Sidon. Their innovation in shipbuilding and navigation allowed them to reach distant lands, including North Africa, Spain, and as far as Britain, where they sought valuable resources like tin and silver.
Explain the significance: This willingness to travel and trade transformed the Phoenicians from a localized culture into a significant Mediterranean power. Their establishment of colonies, such as Carthage, served as strategic trade hubs and facilitated further interaction with various cultures, which led to the spread of their alphabet, art, and religious practices. The diffusion of these elements of Phoenician civilization ultimately enriched the cultures of the regions they interacted with.
Source: McKeown, Peter J. "The Phoenicians: The People Who Changed the World."
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