Trade
Exchanging
goods, services, and other items of value
The first exchange of goods or
services came about long before written history. There is evidence that long-distance
commerce existed as far back as 150,000 years ago, and by the time that
humanity emerged from the Neolithic period (10,000-2000 BCE) and began
establishing cities and agrarian communities, trading had been firmly
established as a vital part of life.
The move toward a sedentary, agricultural
lifestyle transformed the nature of human society, creating a surplus of food
that allowed humans to evolve new Occupations such as tool making and weaving.
These craftspeople in turn created a surplus of their products, which they were
then able to trade back for food Villages began to specialize in making
products that were in demand in other areas, and by 3,000 BCE ancient
Mesopotamian had established
trade routes with the urban centers of the Indus Valley Civilization, perhaps linking
disparate urban areas for the first time.
Trade is an engine that drives
economies, facilitates social interactions, spurs political change, and leads to
the spread of ideas, languages, goods, cultures, religions, wealth, people, and
diseases. Through trading, humans acquired goods from far off lands, shared
news of events, and pushed themselves to seek out corners of the world unknown
to them in search of new opportunities.
Trade has both stabilized relationships
between potential enemies and led to Conflicts, wars, and the subjugation,
murder, and enslavement of millions. Over the course of history, of empires
have arisen, fallen, and been reborn as basic human desires have driven the
need for trade.
