history 111

European states started embarking on a sequence of worldwide explorations that marked a new period in the world during the start of the 15th century. This period was called the Age of Exploration and it extended to the early 17th century, allowing Western Europe to venture to places like Africa, America and the Far East. This period is defined by figures like Ferdinand Magellan, the first to go crosswise the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean as well as the first to go around the globe.
The Age of Exploration in Europe developed along with the Renaissance. In Western history, both periods served as transitional movements between the early modern and Middle Ages periods. The evolution as well as advancement of abroad exploration was fueled by competition between growing European empires like England and Spain. The size as well as the influence of European empires expanded greatly during this time as it was motivated by profit, religion and power. The exploration’s effects were felt both abroad as well as in the geographical boundaries of Europe itself. The political, cultural and economical influences of Europe’s early stages of international exploration affected the continuing development of European society as well as the whole world.
Political factors in the 18th century involving the Islamic conquest of Spain, France, North Africa and parts of the Mediterranean, successfully hindered European expedition to the Far East for succeeding centuries. This made many early explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama look for new trade path to the East. Ocean expeditions were very treacherous at this time. The weather could not be predicted, the navigation techniques were still primarily ancient and maps were scandalously unre...

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...e Pope played a significant and validating part in these expeditions by sanctioning and motivating worldwide exploration. Often, this involved the consent of enslaving Africans as well as indigenous peoples. Frequently, missionaries were a part of the primary explorations of Spain as they wanted to bring Christianity to the indigenous population.
The Age of maritime exploration in Europe represented a new era of global inter-connectivity and interaction. Due to technological development, Europeans were capable to forging into new and formerly undiscovered territories. The Europeans growing desire to satisfy their demand for luxurious good as well as the desire to discover precious materials like silver and gold served as a particularly crucial motivation for maritime exploration. Maritime exploration also introduced Europeans to new culture, foods, and peoples.