Question

document 2: when the portuguese began to import asian spices by the sea route around africa, this trade and the spanish trade with america, were easily absorbed into the existing european pattern. antwerp, in the netherlands, became the richest trading city in europe and the first great centre of world trade in terms of the still very restricted volume of this trade— probably the greatest single centre of world trade in history. its transoceanic trade was channelled through spain and portugal, and in the mid - sixteenth century the value of this trade amounted to about a fifth of antwerps total trade. england, italy and the baltic accounted for roughly an equal part and the remaining fifth was fairly evenly divided between trade with france and trade with germany. -h. g. koenigsberger, early modern europe 1500 - 1789 3. what did the portuguese import by the sea route? 4. what city became the richest trading city in europe?

Explanation:

1. The text states "When the Portuguese began to import Asian spices by the sea - route around Africa". So we can directly get the answer from the given information.
2. The text mentions "Antwerp, in the Netherlands, became the richest trading city in Europe".

Answer:

1. Asian spices
2. Antwerp