Age of Exploration
Definition
The Age of Exploration refers to a historical period spanning from the 15th to 17th centuries when European explorers embarked on voyages across previously uncharted seas in search of new trading routes, resources, knowledge, and territorial expansion.
Analogy
Think about yourself as an adventurer exploring a virtual reality game with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Just like those explorers sought new lands and riches during their voyages in real life.
Related terms
Christopher Columbus: An Italian explorer who famously sailed westward across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 under Spanish patronage. His voyage marked an important milestone in European exploration efforts.
Columbian Exchange: The widespread exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres that occurred after Christopher Columbus's voyages.
Mercantilism: An economic theory prevalent during the Age of Exploration that advocated for a nation's wealth accumulation through favorable trade balances, colonial acquisitions, and protectionist policies.
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Practice Questions (20+)
What feature of the Pax Mongolica era had a considerable impact on global trade patterns during the Age of Exploration?
How did technological advances during the Age of Exploration affect European interaction with Indian Ocean trade networks?
Which cultural trend played a major role in shaping global trade networks during the Age of Exploration?
Which event led to the most significant environmental consequences during the age of exploration?
Which technology revolutionized navigation during the Age of Exploration (1450-1750)?
Who was responsible for the first circumnavigation of Earth during the age of exploration?
Which European power was the first to establish a sea route to Asia during the Age of Exploration?
Which event concurrently occurring with the Age of Exploration similarly reflected a search for new commercial opportunities and resources?
Which European power did not have a significant maritime empire during the age of exploration?
Which factor significantly influenced the shift from land-based empires to maritime empires during the Age of Exploration?
What might have been the consequences if countries from mainland Europe failed to develop effective naval technologies during the age of exploration?
What could have been an alternative historical outcome if Ming China had aggressively pursued maritime exploration during the Age of Exploration?
Who were primarily employed as sailors on European ships during the Age of Exploration?
What was a major factor that led to the development of maritime empires during the Age of Exploration?
What might be an alternate historical scenario if Native American tribes were immune to European diseases during the Age of Exploration?
What is a common result between colonization efforts led by European powers during the Age of Exploration and decolonization movements following World War II?
What factor primarily drove European imperialism's growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, echoing the same motivations behind the earlier age of exploration?
Which technological innovation facilitated global trade during the Age of Exploration?
How does the global trade pattern during the Age of Exploration compare with that of the inter-war period?
How did sailors' ability to survive long voyages significantly improve during the Age of Exploration?
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