In addition to fighting during the Crusades, trade was an important component as new goods and ideas were exchanged. They came into contact with empires that were in many ways more advanced than their own. ... The increased demand for these items sent merchants to the east permanently to establish trade networks.
The constant German sinking of trading vessels that they had made an agreement with the U.S. to stop, but broke, along with other factors such as yellow journalism and the Delome Letter.
