Age of Exploration

Definition

The Age of Exploration, spanning from the late 15th century to the early 17th century, was a period marked by European global exploration and maritime expeditions. This era significantly reshaped world geography, established new trade routes, and facilitated cultural exchanges that profoundly influenced societies and economies across continents.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Age of Exploration began around 1492 with Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas, which opened the floodgates for European exploration and colonization.
2. Advancements in navigation technology, such as the astrolabe and magnetic compass, made it possible for explorers to venture further into uncharted territories.
3. Major European powers involved in exploration included Spain, Portugal, England, France, and the Netherlands, each competing for new territories and resources.
4. The impact of exploration led to the establishment of colonial empires that dramatically altered global trade patterns and interactions between cultures.
5. This period also saw significant consequences for indigenous populations, including displacement, cultural assimilation, and dramatic population declines due to disease.

Review Questions

• How did advancements in navigation technology influence the Age of Exploration and the success of European expeditions?
  • Advancements in navigation technology were crucial to the success of European expeditions during the Age of Exploration. Instruments like the astrolabe allowed sailors to determine their latitude at sea, while the magnetic compass provided reliable direction. These innovations enabled explorers to navigate vast oceans confidently and reach distant lands previously thought unreachable, leading to significant discoveries that reshaped global trade routes and connections.
• Discuss the economic implications of mercantilism on European powers during the Age of Exploration.
  • Mercantilism played a vital role in shaping European economies during the Age of Exploration by promoting state intervention in trade to enhance national wealth. Countries sought to establish colonies as sources of raw materials and markets for their manufactured goods. This economic theory encouraged competition among nations for resources and territories, ultimately leading to colonial expansion and fierce rivalries that influenced international relations during this period.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the Columbian Exchange initiated during the Age of Exploration on global societies.
  • The Columbian Exchange had profound long-term effects on global societies by facilitating the transfer of crops, livestock, technologies, and diseases between continents. While it enriched diets worldwide with new foods like potatoes and maize, it also introduced devastating diseases that led to population declines among indigenous peoples in the Americas. The exchange fostered interconnectedness among various cultures but also initiated complex issues such as colonial exploitation and cultural assimilation that would resonate for centuries.

Related terms

Columbian Exchange:

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World during the Age of Exploration.

Mercantilism:

An economic theory that emphasized the role of government in managing trade and increasing national wealth by accumulating precious metals through a favorable balance of trade.

Cartography:

The art and science of map-making, which advanced significantly during the Age of Exploration, enabling better navigation and understanding of newly discovered lands.