Final answer:
The expansion of European commerce in the 1200s and 1300s was partly the result of numerous technical innovations. These included the invention of windmills, which allowed for the easy transfer of funds, double-entry bookkeeping, which made balancing accounts much simpler, astrolabes, which displayed land-based locations to assist with seagoing, and, especially, commendas, which regulated the use of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expansion of European commerce in the 1200s and 1300s was partly the result of numerous technical innovations. These included windmills, which allowed for the easy transfer of funds, double-entry bookkeeping, which made balancing accounts much simpler, astrolabes, which displayed land-based locations to assist with seagoing, and especially, commendas, which regulated the use of time.
Aside from these innovations, the revitalizing of trade routes such as those managed by the Italian states and the Hanseatic League enabled Europe to witness strong economic growth. Italian city-states like Florence became centers for financial industry, with the advent of joint stock companies, international banking systems, and government debt. The production of coins such as the gold florin facilitated international trade. The rise of a wealthy merchant class in cities like Antwerp and Amsterdam marked the ascendency of the Dutch and the beginning of their Golden Age. It was also during this period that European powers began exploration and trade with previously unknown territories, adopting non-Western technologies like lateen sails and the magnetic compass which revolutionized navigation.