Why was the spice trade so important to European traders?

The spice trade was important during ancient times and the Middle Ages. Spices led to the creation of vast empires and powerful cities. When Europeans heard of spices like cinnamon, pepper, ginger and vanilla they travelled to Asia to bring them home. People used spices to flavour their food and make them taste better.

Why were spices so important during the Age of Discovery?

Spices were widespread in Asia and Africa that did not grow in Europe, or could not due to the climate. The interest in spices drove a lot of the exploration by Europeans to find quicker or more convenient routes to the East.

Why did Europeans want access to the spice trade in the Indian Ocean?

In 1498, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama made the first sea voyage from Europe to India, via the southernmost tip of Africa. The mission was driven by a desire to find a direct route to the places where spices were plentiful and cheap, cutting out the middlemen.

Why did the spice trade start?

The spice trade began in the Middle East over 4,000 years ago. Arabic spice merchants would create a sense of mystery by withholding the origins of their wares, and would ensure high prices by telling fantastic tales about fighting off fierce winged creatures to reach spices growing high on cliff walls.

Why did Europe value its trade with the East?

Answer: Europe value its trade with the East because Europeans made much profit on spices.

Why did Europeans find new trade routes to Asia?

New trade routes were important to European leaders and early explorers because travel to Europe and Asia was costly and dangerous. European traders began to travel to Asia by sea because travel by land was dangerous and costly. New technology in sailing improved travel by sea.

Why did European traders want to find a new trading route to Asia?

Why did the Europeans need to seek new trade routes? Merchants knew they could make big profits selling Asian goods such as spices and silks. European rulers wanted to find safer, faster trade routes to Asia so their countries could become rich and powerful.

What spices were traded in the spice trade?

Spices such as cinnamon, cassia, cardamom, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, star anise, clove and turmeric were known and used in antiquity and traded in the Eastern World.

What were the main purposes of European Exploration?

The motives that spur human beings to examine their environment are many. Strong among them are the satisfaction of curiosity, the pursuit of trade, the spread of religion, and the desire for security and political power.

What brought down the price of spices in Europe?

The increasing access of European traders to the sources of the spices was a key factor that helped to bring down the price from that point onwards, increasing competition and eventually reducing protection costs. Meanwhile a number of things increased the purchasing power of European traders.

What is the main point of the spice trade?

The main point is that spices were mostly consumed not for flaworing dishes, but for preventing and curing illness.

Who controlled the spice trade in the 1400s?

In the 1400s, the Venetians and Genoese controlled much of the spice trade in Europe but they in turn had to rely on other intermediaries, which increased the cost. The Portuguese started to establish trading posts in Asia around 1500.

Did the Dutch ever run out of spices?

Neither was spices: the supply, in Europe, was severely limited. Much later when the VOC gained its spice trade monopoly, the Dutch began shipping around 270 tons of cinnamon per year, which was at the time a vast quantity that outstripped local supplies. Contrast that with modern cinnamon production of ~35,000 tons.