Business and Politics

1. Business and Politics By: Liam, Brandi, Mike D., Odera

2. Milan • Francesco Sforza • Conquered Milan and became the new duke • He became leader of a band of mercenaries • Visconti and Sforza built a strong centralized state by creating an efficient tax system

3. Venice • Doge • Small group of merchants- aristocrats • Became wealthy through trading • Ran the government on behalf of their own interests

4. Florence • Cosimo de' Medici • Took control of Florence • Florence was the banking center of Italy • Controlled the government using their wealth and personal influence • Lorenzo de' Medici • Dominated Florence when it was a cultural center of Italy

5. Economy • Florence experienced an economic decline during the late 1400s • Its economy was experienced on the manufacturing of cloth • The increasing competition from English and Flemish cloth makers brought down the profits

6. Banks Banks • Florence started to become a wealthy city in spite of its inland location away from trade routes • Family fortunes were made in Florence in banking and industry • In the 14th century, Florence became the banking center of Italy • The Medici bank began opening branches in major cities of Europe during the 15th century • The banks loaned money, operated mines, mills, and other commercial activities • The Medici bank gained huge profits and used those profits to finance cultural and political activities • The Medici family grew rich from banking

7. Trade • As cities grew and prospered during the Renaissance, the rulers learned to tax the people • Trade started to increase between other states and countries • The trade in goods started to increase as well as the trade in ideas • The easiest way to trade goods was by using rivers

8. Taxes • As a result of outside invasions declining after the collapse of the Roman Empire, rulers started to consolidate their power and concentrate on self preservation • That made it easier to accumulate wealth, and industry continued to grow • The cities started to grow rapidly as the majority of people started to shift from agricultural life to city life because the jobs were more plentiful • Because of the increase in the number of people, the taxes started to increase which meant there was more wealth to fund the expansion coming ahead

9. Religion • Religion started to be removed from politics because people saw the progress in culture as a natural event that did not relate to religion itself • Machiavelli said how the government and the process of running the government should be based on science and not religion • The debate on whether or not government and other factors should be based on religion started to occur during the Renaissance