DBQ Background for English: At Dante’s birth, 1265, Florence was rapidly growing and commanded a large merchant fleet. Their wealth encouraged military expansion and spurned social inequality. The elite were taught reading at a young age. Ultimately greed and violence resonate in Dante’s first section of the Divine Comedy, The Inferno, through the scorn placed on cupidity and immense punishments placed on the iniquitous.

DBQ Background for Geography: During the 13t and 14th century Europe was ascending to the spot light of the world. Countries expanded their military forces and merchant fleets, reaching to the eastern tips of Asia European merchants exchanged goods, colonies dotted the coasts of recently found land. Also the governments of Europe moved away from Pope, slowly the power of the Roman Catholic church as a political entity faded away. During this time Italy was split into many smaller political entities with huge economies primarily fueled by  merchants. States of Europe were thrown into competition, whether economic, or territorial. In many cases this resulted in war, forming the new political style of Feudalism.