How did the silk road affect the Renaissance?

Answer 1

The silk road effected the Renaissance because it was the route along which goods and ideas traveled that ultimately enriched Europe (especially Italy where the Renaissance began). Without wealth, large numbers of great works of art cannot be created. Great ideas stimulate the quest for more knowledge and innovation. <BR><BR>After the Crusades (1096-c.1291AD), trade between Europe and the east increased because the returning Crusaders, used to the relative coarseness and blandness at home, hungered for the "silks and spices" they had seen while away at war near the Road's western terminus. In about 1271, a young traveler, Marco Polo, and some of his family made their way from Venice, Italy, across the Mediterranean to Damascus, then to Antioch, Baghdad, Hormuz, and then journied north to follow the Silk Road that had been been "re-opened" by the Mongols who had taken over China. He was gone for more than twenty years - even serving in the royal court of Kublai Khan - before returning home and documenting his experiences. At first his stories of the great wealth and opportunities that China offered were not believed. Gradually, however, the potential for trade along the road became evident. <BR><BR>Italy was in a fortunate position between the east and the rest of Europe to capatlize on this commerce. The families that controlled the trade city-states of Itally: Milan, Venice, Genoa became enriched. Florence, a banking center controlled by the Medici family, became one of the most powerful of all. Cosimo de Medici the family's patriarch by 1434, began to invest in artists - such as Michelangelo - and their art providing them with the training and materials they needed to produce works to beautify his city. Architects were hired to redesign Florence's cityscape. To provide educated workers for his banking industry, he improved education, building libaries and stocking them with books. Florence thrived, becoming a centerpiece of the Renaissance. Other cities in Italy were intent on competing with Florence and made similar investments. Italy began the Renaissance that spread to the rest of Europe, but Florence remained "the" Renaissance city.

Answer 2

The Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies between Europe and Asia during the Renaissance. This exchange led to the spread of knowledge in areas such as science, mathematics, arts, and architecture, which influenced the cultural and intellectual developments of the period. The Silk Road also played a role in the development of trade routes that fueled the economic growth of Renaissance Europe.