... on who could create the best houses, sculptures and paintings, and now they had money to pay for the things. Besides the effect from the crusades an increase in trade and knowledge also contributed to the renaissance beginning in Italy by the 1400's. This new class of people only began because of the black plague collapsing the feudal system, letting peasants become a higher class person. Many of these peasants choose to become traders and merchants becoming very wealthy and also getting new technology while on there travels e.g. spices, maths, and manuscripts then returning to Italy with this knowledge. These peasants wanted bigger and better thing and now had the money to afford this. The remainders and reminders where always present in Italy but no one could afford to copy them until this stage in time. The old Roman Empire had left many remainders and reminders including, Statues, buildings and paintings. ...

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