Chapter 15: Global Commerce

This chapter talks about the different trade routes where goods were being traded.  The main key to success in order to be wealthy was the idea of Commerce, which drove globalization.  The Europeans wanted to be part of the trade in order to obtain spices from places like India. The Europeans wanted a commercial connection with the Asians since they were in demand of spices.  At the same time Spain and Portugal both wanted to take control of the Asian trade.  If you take over the Asian trade who were in demand with spices from place like India, then they gain the supplies and can sale it in order to gain profit.  Both Vasco da Gama and Columbus wanted routes to Asia because their main object they desired were spices.  In time the silver trade came into play after the spice trade.  85% of silver was located in Spanish America, and due to the discovery of silver in Spanish America they became luxurious because of it.  Then came the hut for fur, which was in high demand at the time and there were intense competitions over animals fur, but the supply was slightly decreasing.  There were a ton of countries that demanded fur, but rather than hunting for the fur themselves, they relied too much on trade.  At the end of the day it was all about getting the product and exporting it for a high price.  As the expression goes:  money and power make the world go round.