The History of Global Trade

World trade has flouished in the past 500 years.

Although human civilization (defined as a combination of spoken language and community organization) is believed to be almost 50,000 years old, global trade has only existed for less than 1,000 years. Commerce and trade around the world did not begin in earnest until the Middle Ages. In the ensuing centuries the volume and scope of global trade has grown exponentially.

Early Trade

Large civilizations grew on different continents but oceans and mountains separated them from realizing each other's existence. Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome traded around the middle east, Mediterranean and Europe. China traded with its neighbors and the Indian subcontinent. In the Americas, nations such as the Maya and Inca traded up and down South America, Central America and into southern North America. Rarely, however, did trade expand beyond the distant horizon.

Marco Polo and the Vikings.

In the 13th century Venetian businessman Marco Polo traveled east to China while two centuries earlier Norseman Erik the Red traveled West from Europe to the Americas. Both brought back to the homeland examples of the wealth and goods available in these distant lands. While Polo's adventure led to establishing a spice and silk trade with the Far East, the Viking efforts dwindled under the harshness of the North Atlantic and frigid winters.

Portugal and Christopher Columbus

Portugal expanded the spice trade to the East while Genoan Christopher Columbia blazed the trade routes to the West and started the European settlement of North America. By the beginning of the 1600s trade between Europe, Asia and the Americas was advancing daily, bringing spices and raw materials to European factories while finished iron, steel, wood and textile goods was heading out around the world.

Faster Transportation

With the advent of the steam engine in the 19th century, worldwide trade flourished. Goods were shipped between continents in days instead of months. Agricultural products and more esoteric goods such as printed books, cosmetics and fine handcrafted luxury items became more commonplace all over the globe. True worldwide trade was established when continental railroads in the Americas, Asia and Europe connected many seaports for faster transportation of finished goods.

Worldwide Trade today

In the 21st century worldwide trade is almost as prevalent and commonplace and delivery to the next town. Air freight, container freight, large fast seagoing ships, more powerful and safer locomotives and over-the-road trucking can bring goods around the world in less than a day if necessary. With the advent of Internet commerce and fast delivery, worldwide trade is a common and daily endeavor.

References

• World History Archives: The history of world trade
• Maps Of The World: History Of International Trade