The Most prominent Commodity in History is Not Oil Or Gold - It is Pepper - Find Out Why
Religion is often cited as the suspect for most of history's wars. But what about the good stuff? What caused men to pickup and take off for new worlds? What caused them to brave hostile natives and vicious animals to make roads to far off lands? What caused them to get into little, leaky boats and set off across unknown oceans?
Would you believe...Pepper?
The First World-wide Commodity
Black pepper originated in the mountains of Southern India and made it's way to Europe about 2,000 years ago.
And it is no exaggeration to say that the world has never been the same.
Rich Europeans immediately feel deeply, madly in love with the spice.
Even though the potent black powder traveled an intricate and costly route from India to Europe (the pepper changed hands up to 100 times during it's journey -- doubling in price every time), it was still the most beloved spice in all levels of society.
Has all the time been and still is today.
But with the demand all the time far outstripping the supply, it is only natural that habitancy would start finding for shorter, easier, economy routes to bring pepper to Europe -- and consequently make their fortune doing so.
The New Millennium Brings New Trade Routes
Unlike the 19th century exploration of Africa and the Polar regions, "explorers" in the middle-ages set out not to map rivers and acquire specimens, but in hunt of a way to get spices back to Europe as fast and cheaply as possible.
And they often succeeded.
Entire cities were built and flourished along the trade routes -- Istanbul, Venice and Genoa are just a few that pepper money built.
Family fortunes that have lasted until the modern times were made on spices -- the chief of which is pepper. Marco Polo's father and uncle were the richest men in Venice because of spices.
Worlds were discovered finding for shorter trade routes. What do you think Columbus and Vasco da Gama were finding for? New worlds? No. Pepper.
Safe to Say...
It not a stretch at all to say that the world was built by a desire to make food taste better.
Now that's some history I can believe in. Yum.
The Most prominent Commodity in History is Not Oil Or Gold - It is Pepper - Find Out Why
Spice Rack
The Most prominent Commodity in History is Not Oil Or Gold - It is Pepper - Find Out Why
The Most prominent Commodity in History is Not Oil Or Gold - It is Pepper - Find Out Why
The Most prominent Commodity in History is Not Oil Or Gold - It is Pepper - Find Out Why
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