Look at the map of the Mediterranean region in the 1400s.

Question

Look at the map of the Mediterranean region in the 1400s.

A map shows the Mediterranean region in the 1400s. To the east, just north of the Mediterranean Sea, the Ottoman Empire is outlined.The map shows a complex network of major travel routes connecting Europe to Africa and the Ottoman Empire.

How does the map help explain why the Renaissance began in Italy?

A.
Italy was not divided into separate feudal states.

B.
Italy attracted scholars and religious pilgrims from northern Europe.

C.
Political unity made Italy a center of scholarship.

D.
Major trade routes went through Italy.

5 / 9

Answer 1

D. Major trade routes went through Italy. The map shows that Italy was at the crossroads of several major travel routes connecting Europe to other regions. This allowed for the exchange of ideas, goods, and innovations, which helped spark the Renaissance in Italy.