tpo25 reading2

This decline can be seen clearly in the changes that affected Venetian shipping and trade. First, Venice's intermediary functions in the Adriatic Sea, where it had dominated the business of shipping for other parties, were lost to direct trading.

According to paragraph 2, which of the following contributed to the decline of Venetian shipping?

The loss of trade in the Adriatic Sea

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Merchants complained that the privileges reserved for Venetian-built and -owned ships were first extended to those Venetians who bought ships from abroad and then to foreign-built and -owned vessels.