The 14th century was a time of terror for much of Europe. From 1328 to 1351, two hundred million of the six hundred million people died from the Bubonic Plague, which was primarily spread by the rats in the trade vessels. Even though the death rate and number of infected people declined after this period, there were still outbreaks for the next sixty years. By the mid to late 15th century, Europe’s population had rebounded from its significant decline. The regrowth of the population brought about an increased need for material goods. European citizens were slowly returning to urban life and developing an urban middle class. As the middle class returned so did trade. Constantinople, in the Byzantine Empire, was a key city for trade because it was the location where east and west met. Europeans relied on Asia for a multitude of goods such as spices and textiles. In 1453, trade between Europeans and Asians ceased due to the fall of Constantinople. Sultan Mohammed II, ruler of the Ottoman Turks, cut off trade between east and west. The loss of Europe’s primary trading port presented a geographical barrier into Asia. European voyages of exploration and colonization (primarily Spanish, Portuguese, and English) from 1450 to 1700 brought about many changes in European economy including the rise of mercantilism, the economic rise of the Spanish and Portuguese empires, and inflation throughout Europe as a result of the influx of gold and silver from the New World. Voyages of exploration and colonization brought about many changes in European economy including mercantilism. The Spanish and Portuguese were acquiring wealth from Latin America where they were obtaining an abundance of gold and silver. Mercantilism works when exports are greater than imports. To regulate trade, countries use tariffs, or taxes, to keep the wealth within their own countries. If a country can’t compete with other countries on price, they will impose taxes on the foreign country