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European coed America had not been discovered, and

the only known route to India was by land

Venice, enthroned by her central position as queen of commerce, compelled

the nations of Europe and Asia to convey to her port all the riches of the

world

One single city, Bruges in Flanders, serving as an international mart for

the people of the North and South, shared, in some measure, the commercial

prosperity of Venice; but popular insurrections and continual civil wars

had induced a large nun merchants to prefer Brabant to

Flanders, and Antas becoreat events occurred, by which a new channel was

opened to trade: Christopher Colu the Cape of Good Hope, pointed out a new route to India

This latter discovery, by presenting another grand highway to the world,

deprived Venice of the peculiar advantages of her situation, and obliged

coal and Spain were the most powerful

nations on sea; countless ships left their ports for the two Indies, and

brought back spices, pearls, and the precious hout the Old World This commercial activity required an emporium in

the centre of Europe, halfway between the North and the South, whither