Atlantic trade and the European Economy

Most European intercontinental trade passed through the Atlantic during the Early Modern period, with the exception of Mediterranean trade and caravan trade through the Eurasian landmass, both in relative decline. Both the rise to primacy of the European economy and the increase in Atlantic trade have been momentous events in the history of the world. The temptation to link these two events has been very high in both popular and scholarly history since the 19th century. The debate about their relationship is not yet settled, because there is no general agreement on either the causes and characteristics of the divergence of Europe from other Old World economies or the benefits that intercontinental trade have provided to European economies. This bibliography provides sources that discuss the effect of Atlantic trade on European economies. Consideration of Europe as a whole is probably misleading in that every country—and probably every region—had a specific interaction with the Atlantic. This entry provides readings on the experience in Britain, Denmark-Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and Spain. The experience of Britain is so important to the history of the European economy that this entry would not be complete without some readings on the effect of the Atlantic trade on the British Industrial Revolution.