Final answer:
Spices were the most valuable product to Europeans in the late Middle Ages. Europeans tried to cut out the middlemen of world trade to get spices at a lower cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the late Middle Ages, one of the most valuable products to Europeans was spices. Spices were highly sought after for their flavor-enhancing properties and their ability to preserve food. Some specific examples of spices that were highly valued include cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg.
Europeans tried to cut out the middlemen of world trade in order to get spices because the middlemen added significant costs to the price of spices. By directly accessing the sources of spices in Asia, Europeans could bypass the intermediaries and obtain spices at a lower cost, increasing their profit margins.