Rachel Jourdan-Aufiery-Before European Hegemony

This chapter starts off discussing the 13th century of the Old World. There are two ideas highlighted regarding the thirteenth century, which are economic integration and cultural efflorescence. New technology facilitated the surplus of goods, which were then traded. Around A.D. 1250 and 1350, an international trade economy was booming that included areas from China to northwestern Europe. Different goods were valued in different areas of the globe. For instance, silver was prized in Europe while gold was treasured in the Middle East. The merchants active in the trading business did not all speak the same language, and their currencies differed as well. I find these facts very fascinating because a lack of technology and different modes of communication would make things difficult to begin with. It would be very challenging to be active in the trading business and communicating with people that speak different languages.I wonder what other complications arose because of the differences in languages and currency. Later in the chapter, the author points out distinction between the "commercial revolution" and the "industrial revolution." For example, distinguishing between the differences in industrialization can be a way to differentiate between the two. Another difference discussed in the difference between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries. There was much less production of goods in the thirteenth century than in the sixteenth century. Moreover, later in the reading the twelfth and again the thirteenth century are discussed. The increased improvements in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing in northwestern Europe was a result of the increased opportunities of trade from the Crusades.