The Phoenicians faced mountainous terrain and limited arable land, which restricted overland trade routes. This geographic challenge encouraged them to turn to the sea for trade, as their access to the Mediterranean allowed for easier transportation of goods. Their advanced shipbuilding and navigation skills enabled them to establish extensive trade networks across the region. As a result, maritime commerce became central to their economy and culture.
Most Phoenicians were poor and thus led a pastoral life (leading sheep and goats around the side of a hill for meager wages). Richer Phoenicians were actively engaged in trade and commerce. Imagine something similar to a farmer's market.
Their merchant ships being attacked by pirates
They had limited farming land to support a growing population - they had the choice of conquering more land or trade. They chose the latter.
The land trading routes were blocked because of mountains and neighbors so they had to use the sea as their trade roots now.
The Phoenicians initially focused on trade and commerce rather than colonization due to their small homeland in present-day Lebanon, which limited agricultural capacity. Their expertise in seafaring and navigation led them to establish trade networks across the Mediterranean, facilitating economic expansion without the need for settlement. Additionally, their city-states were often politically fragmented, making large-scale colonization efforts challenging. As their trade routes expanded, they eventually established colonies, but this was a gradual process rather than an immediate focus.
The Phoenicians had a complex relationship with their neighbors, characterized by both trade and conflict. As skilled sailors and traders, they established extensive commercial networks across the Mediterranean, often interacting peacefully with neighboring cultures to exchange goods. However, their maritime prowess also led to rivalries and tensions, particularly with powerful entities like the Greeks and the expanding Roman Empire. Ultimately, the Phoenicians' interactions fostered cultural exchanges but also sparked competition and territorial disputes.
Harriet Tubman's biggest obstacle was discovering the Underground Railroad. She became famous by finding the Underground Railroad, that led to the north. She freed over 300 slaves.
Their merchant ships being attacked by pirates
The Phoenicians traded around the Mediterranean Sea, and spread their writing to the peoples there.
What caused Phoenicians to rely upon to travel and trade by the sea
Before the time of mechanical transport, moving goods by animal-drawn wagons was slow, and over a couple of hundred kilometers at 15 km a day, they would eat out the cargo they were drawing. Water transport was the feasible alternative over longer distances.