the 15th and 16th centuries was very different from the world-system of today. Several areas were beginning to develop into trading powers, but none were able to gain total control. For this reason, a core and periphery developed in each region as opposed to a global scale. Cities began to become the "core" with the more agricultural countryside becoming a sort of "periphery". The most underdeveloped region that was still involved in trade at the time was Europe. It had the weakest core and periphery areas.

Two examples of periphery