Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

In the proto-industrial system, merchants from European towns moved to the countryside and supplied money (advances) to peasants and artisans, persuading them to produce for international markets. A merchant clothier, for example, purchased wool from a wool stapler, gave it to spinners, then carried the yarn to weavers, fullers, and dyers. Finishing was done in cities like London before export. At each production stage, 20–25 workers were employed per merchant, meaning one clothier could control hundreds of workers spread across the countryside.

Source: Chapter 4, Before the Industrial Revolution

• The examiner expects you to mention: (1) merchants supplying advances, (2) peasants/artisans working from home, (3) the step-by-step production chain (wool stapler → spinners → weavers → fullers → dyers → finishing centre), and (4) the scale (hundreds of workers per merchant).
• Avoid writing about factories — this system was explicitly before factory production.
• The phrase "network of commercial exchanges" in the question is directly from the textbook, so using it in your answer shows you know the source material.