CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: D - When Genghis Khan rose to power and established the Mongol Empire he wrested control of the Silk Road from the Islamic Caliphate, ending Muslim control of world trade. Subsequently, Italian merchants could travel into Asia to trade, though they only traveled part of the trade route since middlemen along the Silk Road sold to each other to minimize travel (the goods traveled far, but the merchants did not). The goods from trade with the East encouraged a popular interest in far-away places and, ultimately, the Age of Exploration. Trade- both naval trade and land trade on the Silk Road- also increased the wealth of Italian merchants, which led to improved education, the desire for luxury and art, and, eventually, the Renaissance.