A
trade is an occupation that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the
Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in most kinds of
crafts and small-scale production of goods.
The households of the members of the society occupied in trade professions were not as self-sufficient as of those engaged in
agricultural work and, as such, had to rely on
exchange of goods.
Tradesmen tended to concentrate in urban centers and formed the
guilds. Trade occupation and the need to be permanently involved in the exchange of goods also demanded a generally higher level of education and in societal hierarchy the tradesmen were usually in a more privileged position than the peasantry.
Once an apprentice had finished his apprenticeship, he would become a journeyman searching for a place to set up his own shop and make a living. After he set up his own shop he could then be called a master of his trade.
Situation in Germany
In Germany a well-known term is
Handwerk. This is a contrast to
trade which is more translated with the German word
Handel (
See also: Salesman). For a more handmade profession see e.g.
Carpentry.
Communities
See also
Category:Economic historyCategory:Articles lacking sources (Erik9bot)da:Håndværkde:Handwerkel:Εμπόριοhu:Kézművességmk:Занаетnn:handverkpl:Rzemiosło 
