Trade was a significant factor in shaping human history. First, trade altered consumption and diminished economic self-sufficiency of local societies. It made it possible for people living in cold climate to consume food that grow only in warm places; sugar and coffee are important examples. Second, it encouraged specialization of production, which led to mass production and greater efficiency. The mass trade network of England was the main driver of the Industrial revolution. Third, it created a distinct social group of traders that grew from being marginal in societies to the frontier these days. Fourth, it helped to spread religious ideas. For instance, Islam entered South East Asia and Indonesia through traders; now majority of Muslims live in these regions. It also helped spread technological innovations, plants and animals, and diseases.
Trade has thrived in certain circumstances. Trading networks did best when large states provided security for trade. Historical evidence showed that trade grew during Roman, Chinese, Byzantine Empire, Abbasid and Mughal empires. Also, trade flourished where the cost of transportation is low. For instance, cities near rivers of ports have been the major trading hubs. Further, global trade substantially grew after major technological innovation in the mean of transportation.
Finally, Slavery was a universal human practice with origins that go back to the earliest civilizations; slavery was widely accepted as a perfectly normal human enterprise and was closely linked to warfare and capture. Slavery came in many forms and preferences. Some societies treated slaves as outsiders, and some assimilated them into their communities. Some societies preferred female slaves and others preferred males. Some slaves occupied prominent positions in the social and government systems.
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