The Medici family, recognized as the House of Medici, first gained wealth and political influence in Florence during the 13th century through their achievements in commerce and banking.
<span>The headline "African Freedom Spreads: Congo, Kenya, Algeria Achieve Independence" pertains to events that unfolded in the 1960s, which corresponds to option c. During the 1950s, rebels returned, engaging in guerrilla warfare that the British suppressed, ultimately leading to independence for Algeria from France, Congo from Belgium, and Nigeria. All these events transpired in the 1960s.</span>
The French mainly focused on trading furs in North America, the English concentrated more on growing tobacco, and the Spanish prioritized acquiring gold.