Final answer:
Trade networks facilitated cultural and technological transfers by enabling the exchange of goods, ideas, and knowledge between different regions during the 1200-1450 time period.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the time period from 1200-1450, trade networks played a significant role in facilitating cultural and technological transfers. The exchange of goods and ideas across regions allowed for the spread of knowledge, technologies, and cultural practices.
For example, the Italian trade routes in the Mediterranean connected Europe with Arab scholars, who preserved and shared lost Greek texts. This revitalized medieval philosophy during the Renaissance. Additionally, the discovery of the Americas and subsequent colonization by the Spanish and Portuguese resulted in the Columbian Exchange, which brought about the transfer of crops, diseases, animals, and metals between the Old World and the Americas.