The Impact of Increasing Discoveries and Exploration

The Age of Discovery

The Age of Discovery, spanning from the 15th to the 17th century, marked the period of intensive exploration by Europeans outside of the Old World. This led to the finding of new territories distinct to Europe, Asia and Africa.
The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World. This drastically reshaped both sides, with profound demographic and social impacts.
Christopher Columbus, an important figure in this era, led expeditions funded by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, leading to the European discovery of the Americas.

The discovery of the Americas, or the New World, opened up vast new territories for European powers to colonize.
Countries like Portugal and Spain initially dominated the overseas exploration. Later, England, France, and the Netherlands also started extensive exploration and colonisation.
Portuguese explorers, like Vasco da Gama, pioneered the sea route to India, facilitating a direct spice trade with Asia that bypassed the traditional overland routes dominated by Italian city states and the Ottoman Empire.

Exploration and discoveries led to the rise of mercantilism, an economic system designed to increase the power and wealth of nations through strict regulation of the economy.
A new global trade network emerged, leading to the Commercial Revolution. This brought significant economic growth and paved the way for capitalism.
The influx of wealth, especially gold and silver from the Americas, led to the Price Revolution with initial inflationary pressures in Europe but influenced the further growth and modernization of European economies.

The discovery of cultures previously unknown to Europeans deeply affected the European worldview. It brought an end to the medieval conception of a three-part world (Europe, Asia, Africa) and introduced the idea of a plurality of worlds and cultures.
It fostered a sense of eurocentrism, as Europeans compared other cultures to their own, often viewing them as inferior.
This period also contributed to the Scientific Revolution, as expeditions brought back knowledge and experiences that challenged old views and assumptions in geography, astronomy and natural history.