B.
In nearly all aspects of modern life, machines are busily working to produce things for people. In times past this was not the case, however. What began the wheels of industry turning? What led to this age of the machine? The development of industry was sparked by the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was a true revolution. The vital change from hand labor to machines marked the beginning of a new era, the age of industry. Usually industry is thought of as a modern accomplishment, a modern way of doing things. Industry, however, had its roots far back in history. Contributions for the Industrial Revolution took place as far back as the year A.D. 1100. European Influence. Although the Industrial Revolution actually began in England in the 1750s, it was influenced by earlier events taking place on the European mainland. The Middle Ages (A.D. 500-1500) of Europe was a period of relatively settled existence. Life was centered on the castles and lands of kings and lords where peasants worked in exchange for the protection of the lord. Life, for many people, was a daily routine of doing chores. This pattern of life in Europe's Middle Ages was upset when Pope Urban II of Rome called for dedicated Christians everywhere to come to the defense of Jerusalem. The Moslem Turks had seized this spiritual capital of the Middle East. Crusaders traveled many miles to free this Holy City. A series of Crusades took place over several centuries.
Although the Crusaders failed to capture Jerusalem, the wars were not without results. The Crusades exposed Europeans to other people and ideas. By traveling to other lands, the Western Europeans had developed desires for contact with the larger world. The treasures they had seen in the East revived their interest in travel and trade. As a result of the Crusades, the people of Europe were removed from their isolated existence. Many Italian merchants settled in Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey), the center of Eastern Europe. In this city, they began a market for trade between Eastern and Western Europe. As the trade grew, bankers and merchants became wealthy and expanded their businesses. These expanded businesses produced more goods. This demand led to a need for additional trained workers. With this interest in travel and trade sparked by the Crusades, Europeans became eager travelers. They sought opportunities that opened up with the expansion of trade.
