Before the fifteenth century, European states enjoyed a long history of trade with
places in the Far East, such as India and China. This trade introduced luxury goods
such as cotton, silk, and spices to the European economy. New technological
advancements in maritime navigation and ship construction allowed Europeans to travel
farther and explore parts of the globe that were previously unknown. This, in turn,
provided Europeans with an opportunity to locate luxury goods, which were in high
demand, thereby eliminating Europe’s dependency on Eastern trade. In many ways,
the demand for goods such as sugar, cotton, and rum fueled the expansion of European
empires and their eventual use of slave labor from Africa
