The correct answer is B: The East. During the 1200s a trade between Egypt, Syria, Southeast Asia, Iran and China existed. The tendency at that point was to trade spices, grain, wine and salt. This trade with East made Venice able to expand their high quality textile manufacturing. This trade was also known as The Silk Road, which was an ancient network of trade routes that linked the regions of the ancient world and Europe in commerce between 130 BC and 1453 AD.