Trade and economy have really shaped how society is organized over time. Here’s how it happened:

1. Economic Power:

   • Trade brought in a lot of money. This created a new group of people called merchants. In medieval Europe, some merchants could make five times their money on certain products!

2. Class Structures:

   • In Ancient Rome, society was split into different classes. There were the patricians, who were rich landowners, and the plebeians, who were everyday people. This separation affected who had power and rights.

3. Labor Systems:

   • When farming started, it allowed societies to feed more people. This led to more complex social structures. By the year 1000, around 90% of people in Europe worked in farming.

4. Urbanization:

   • Cities that were centers of trade, like Venice and Constantinople, grew quickly. This led to more than a 40% increase in city populations during the Middle Ages, changing how society worked.