In the fourteenth century, a variety of political developments cut Europe’s land trade routes to southern and eastern Asia, with that Europe had had necessary and extremely profitable business ties since the twelfth century. This development, coming back because it did once rock bottom had fallen out of the European economy, provided associate impetus to a long-held need to secure direct relations with the East by establishing an ocean trade. wide rumored, if somewhat distrusted, accounts by figures just like the noted individual from the urban center, Marco Polo, of the temperament of individuals in China to trade with Europeans and of the sizeableness of the wealth to be gained by such contact created the thought irresistible. potentialities for trade appeared promising, however, no hope existed for maintaining the normal routes over land a brand new method had to be found. The chief downside was technological: however were the Europeans to succeed in the East? Europe’s maritime tradition had developed within the context of simply passable seas—the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and, to a lesser extent, the sea between the European country and also the Continent—not of huge oceans. New sorts of ships were required, new strategies of finding one’s method, new techniques for funding thus huge a theme. The sheer scale of the investment it took to start business enlargement bewildered reflects the sizeableness of the profits that such East-West trade may produce Spices were the foremost sought-after commodities. Spices not solely dramatically improved the style of the European diet however additionally were wont to manufacture perfumes and sure medicines. But even pricey commodities like spices had to be transported in massive bulk so as to justify the expense and hassle of sailing around the African continent all the thanks to Asian nation and China.

Q. According to the passage, why was it necessary to find a new way for European merchants to reach the East?

(A) People in China were finally ready to trade with Europeans
(B) The European economy was failing because there was no trade with the East
(C) Traditional ways of trading with the East had becomevery costly
(D) Commercial routes over land had become blocked because of political events

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