Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Republic of Venice had no merchant guild. Why? Because "the city was a merchant guild": a global trading enterprise planted in its swampy lagoon.
This floating spaceship from the capitalist future excited and worried the world. Venice, as Crowley's expert, fluent history of its maritime empire shows, was "the first virtual city".
Buy this book from the Independent bookshop
Did its fate foreshadow Britain's? "Held together by sea power", this vast imperial network from Italy to Crimea won respect but not love, and dwindled as an upstart rival – the Ottoman Turks – rose.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments