Commerce In The Nineteenth Century

Commerce does not only mean the act of trading, but it is an act of communication as well. The Scientific Revolution started off as small communities throughout Europe, working together as neighbors with a diversity of people. Eventually, voyages to the Indies, Americas, Africa and Asia allowed people to spread their knowledge and expand their curiosity. But why did traveling help these scientists gain the answers to their questions? With the three different readings that would be mentioned, the English, Dutch, and Spanish had similarly used a system as their way of spreading their sciences: trade and communication. However, the English relied on immigrants joining their communities, the Dutch relied on their trade routes and diverse community …show more content…
It took place in the Elizabethan era, or sixteenth century, on a particular street in London, Lime Street. It started off as a community of passionate and curious naturalists on Lime Street and they worked as a community to gain their knowledge. During this era, the Scientific Revolution evolved around the Age of Exploration, and gave people the chance to expand their lab for observations. As stated before, Lime Street contained residents who had worked together to work on their experiments; however, immigrants, or “Strangers”, were also a part of the scientific community. “The merchants, skilled craftsmen, and simple tradesmen who came from exotic locales like Venice and Antwerp made an impression on London’s English residents that was far deeper than their relatively small numbers might suggest.” As Harkness stated with the population of immigrants in the city, it allowed a larger area of communication for the Londoners and gave them the opportunity to start communicating and trading with those outside of England. “These specimens were the intellectual capital of the Republic of Letters, an early modern Euro—a form of intellectual currency that would travel freely and be exchanged easily no matter where the specimens originated, or where they concluded their journey. Rare plants, cultivated and propagated in Lime Street gardens, became important items of exchange, accompanying letters to learn naturalists in Italy, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.” The Republic of Letters came in as a big role to the English naturalists, giving them the opportunity to trade and communicate with other Europeans. Throughout Harkness’ article, it seemed as if she made the commerce in England was only through the European countries, such as James Cole continuously communing with his uncle in