Several long term factors caused the change of Europe’s economic world and the rise of capitalism such as the rise in trade of American food crops, population growth, and urbanization. Because American potatoes supplemented Europeans’ diet with large amounts of carbohydrates, Europeans’ nutrition improved greatly, preventing the spread of disease and outbreaks of plague. With better health, came an increase in birth rates. Europe’s population grew and led way to rapid urbanization. Urbanization contributed to Europe’s cities and markets flourishing and capitalism, which led to economic development. The rise of capitalism, in which merchants make goods and provide services and profit from them, or profit from other merchant’s unsuccessful activities,
