Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Spanish-sponsored transatlantic expeditions beginning in 1492 that established European contact with the Americas and dramatically increased European interest in oceanic exploration and trade.
AP course connection
Topic 4.2: 4.2 Exploration: Causes and Events from 1450 to 1750