The so-called Age of Exploration was a period from the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century, during which European ships were traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners to feed burgeoning capitalism in Europe. In the process, Europeans encountered peoples and mapped lands previously unknown to them. Among the most famous explorers of the period were Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, John Cabot, Juan Ponce de León, and Ferdinand Magellan. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Capitalism has been defined in various ways (see definitions of capitalism). ... No authentic contemporary portrait of Columbus has been found; this late 19th-century engraving is one of many conjectural images For information about the director, see the article on Chris Columbus. ... See Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama for the football club. ... Pedro Álvares Cabral - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Giovanni Caboto (c. ... Juan Ponce de León - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Ferdinand Magellan (Spring 1480 – April 27, 1521; Portuguese: Fernão de Magalhães; Spanish: Fernando de Magallanes) was a Portuguese sea explorer who sailed for Spain. ...

The Age of Exploration was rooted in new technologies and ideas growing out of the Renaissance, these included advances in cartography, navigation, and shipbuilding. The most important development was the invention of first the Carrack and then caravel in Iberia. These that were a combination of traditional European and Arab designs were the first ships that could leave the relatively passive Mediterranean and sail safely on the open Atlantic. By Region: Italian Renaissance Northern Renaissance -French Renaissance -German Renaissance -English Renaissance The Renaissance was a great cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ... Cartography or mapmaking (in Greek chartis = map and graphein = write) is the study and practice of making maps or globes. ... This article concerns navigation in the sense of determination of position and direction on the surface of the Earth. ... Categories: Stub | Ship types ... A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable, three-masted ship used by the Spanish for long voyages of exploration beginning in the 15th century. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one_fifth of its surface. ...

Exploration by land

This map, made by Arab geographer al-Idrisi, was one of the most accurate world maps prior to the age of European exploration

The prelude to the Age of Exploration was a series of European expeditions crossing Eurasia by land in the late Middle Ages. While the Mongols had threatened Europe with pillage and destruction they also unified Eurasia creating trade routes and communication lines stretching from the Middle East to China. A series of Europeans took advantage of these to explore eastwards. These were almost all Italians, the trade between Europe and the Middle East was almost completely controlled by traders from the Italian city states, and their close links to the Levant created great curiosity and commercial interest in what lay further east. The Papacy also launched expeditions in hopes of finding coverts, or the fabled Prester John. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Al_Idrisis world map from 1154. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... The Levant is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in Southwest Asia south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and the north Arabian Desert and Mesopotamia to the east. ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... Prester John (also Presbyter John) was a legendary Christian ruler in Asia (some say his kingdom was in Northern Africa), combining the roles of patriarch and king. ...

The first of these travelers was Giovanni de Plano Carpini who journeyed to Mongolia and back from 1244-1247. The most famous voyage, however, was that of Marco Polo who traveled throughout the Orient from 1271 to 1295. His journey was written up as Travels and the work was read throughout Europe. For the region of the same name, see Mongolia (region) Mongolia (Khalkha Mongolian: Монгол Улс) is a landlocked nation in central Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and the Peoples Republic of China to the south. ... Events Sultan Malik al-Muattam razes city walls. ... Events Shams ad-Din disappears resulting in Jalal Uddin Rumi writing 30,000 verses of poetry about his disappearance. ... Marco Polo (September 15, 1254 - January 8, 1324) was a Venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father and uncle, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China (which he called Cathay) and visited Great Khan of Mongol Empire, Kubilai Khan (grandson of Genghis... Events Kublai Khan named his empire Yuan (元 yuan2), officially marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty. ... Events Mongol leader Ghazan Khan is converted to Islam, ending a line of Tantric Buddhist leaders. ...

These voyages had little immediate effect, however, the Mongol Empire collapsed almost as quickly as it formed and soon the route to the east became far more difficult and dangerous. The Black Death of the fourteenth century also blocked travel and trade. Moreover the land route to the East was always be too long and difficult for profitable trade and it was also controlled by Islamic empires that had long battled the Europeans. The rise of the aggressive and expansionist Ottoman Empire further limited the possibilities for Europeans. This article concerns the world wide pandemic starting in the mid- 14th century, with a focus on material available from European records and accounts. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923...

Exploration begins in Portugal

Main article: Portugal in the period of discoveries

It was not until the carrack and then the caravel were developed in Iberia that European thoughts returned to the fabled East. Monetarists believe the main reason the Age of Exploration began was because of a severe shortage in bullion in Europe. The European economy was dependent on gold and silver currency, but domestic supplies were low plunging much of Europe into a recession. The Iberians had for centuries been fighting the Muslims to the south and for them the ability to outflank the Muslim states of North Africa was seen as crucial to their survival. At the same time the Iberians learnt much from their Arab neighbours. The carrack and caravel both incorporated the Arab lateen sail that made ships far more maneuverable. It was also through the Arabs that Ancient Greek geography was rediscovered, for the first time giving European sailors some idea of the shape of Africa and Asia. For additional context, see History of Portugal. ... Categories: Stub | Ship types ... A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable, three-masted ship used by the Spanish for long voyages of exploration beginning in the 15th century. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ... Monetarism is a set of views concerning the determination of national income and monetary economics. ... A lateen (from Latin) is a triangular sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, and running in a fore-and-aft direction. ...

The Santa Maria at anchor by Andries van Eertvelt, painted c. 1628 shows the famous carrack of Christopher Columbus.

The first great wave of expeditions was launched by Portugal under Prince Henry the Navigator. Sailing out into the open Atlantic the Madeira Islands were discovered in 1419 and in 1427 the Azores were discovered, both became Portuguese colonies. The main project of Henry the Navigator was exploration of the West Coast of Africa. For centuries the only trade routes linking West Africa with the Mediterranean world were over the Sahara Desert, these routes were controlled by the Muslim states of North Africa. It was the Portuguese hope that the Islamic nations could be bypassed by trading directly with West Africa by sea. It was also hoped that south of the Sahara the states would be Christian and potential allies against the Muslims in the Maghreb. The Portuguese navigators made slow but steady progress, each year managing to push a few miles further south and in 1434 the obstacle that was Cape Bojador was overcome. Within two decades the barrier of the Sahara had been overcome and trade in gold and slaves began in with what is today Senegal. Progress continued as trading forts were built at Elmina and Sao Tome and Principe became the first sugar producing colonies. In 1482 an expedition under Diogo Cão made contact with the Kingdom of Kongo. The crucial breakthrough was in 1487 when Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope and proved that access to the Indian Ocean was possible. In 1498 Vasco da Gama made good on this promise by reaching India. Download high resolution version (700x857, 110 KB)The Santa Maria at anchor by Andries van Eertvelt, painted c. ... Download high resolution version (700x857, 110 KB)The Santa Maria at anchor by Andries van Eertvelt, painted c. ... The Santa Maria was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492. ... Events March 1 - writs were issued in February 1628 by Charles I of England that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date. ... No authentic contemporary portrait of Columbus has been found; this late 19th-century engraving is one of many conjectural images For information about the director, see the article on Chris Columbus. ... The Republic of Portugal (República Portuguesa), or Portugal, is a democratic republic located on the west and southwest parts of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe; it is the westernmost country in continental Europe. ... Infante Dom Henrique (4 March 1394 - 13 November 1460) was a prince of Portugal, often regarded as the most important figure in the early days of European colonial expansion. ... For other uses of the word, see Madeira (disambiguation) Madeira Islands location. ... Events January 19 - Hundred Years War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England which brings Normandy under the control of England. ... Events Lincoln College in Oxford is founded. ... Flag of Azores Shaded relief map of the Azores from 1975 The Azores ( Portuguese: Açores) are an archipelago of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,500 km from Lisbon and about 3,900 km from the east coast of North America. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Eurasia. ... West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and... The Sahara is the worlds second largest desert (second to Antarctica), over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), located in northern Africa and is 2. ... This article is about the religious people known as Christians. ... (see also North Africa, Tamazgha, Arab Maghreb Union, Mashreq) The Maghreb (or Moghreb), meaning west in Arabic, is the region of the continent of Africa north of the Sahara desert and west of the Nile - specifically, the modern countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and to a lesser extent Libya and... Events May 30, Battle of Lipany in the Hussite Wars Jan van Eyck painted the wedding of Giovanni Arnoflini The Honorable Passing of Arms at the bridge of Obrigo The Portuguese reach Cape Bojador in Western Sahara. ... Cape Bojador is a headland on the northern coast of Moroccos Western Sahara province, just below latitude 27° North. ... The Republic of Senegal is a country south of the Senegal River in West Africa. ... Elmina is a town on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, lying west of Cape Coast. ... The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic about 300 and 250 kilometers (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon, constitute one of Africas smallest countries. ... This article deals with sugar as food and as an important, widely traded commodity; the word also has other uses; see Sugar (disambiguation) A sugar is a form of carbohydrate; the most commonly used sugar is a white crystalline solid, sucrose; used to alter the flavor and properties (mouthfeel, perservation... Events Portuguese fortify Fort Elmina on the Gold Coast Tizoc rules the Aztecs Diogo Cão, a Portuguese navigator, becomes the first European to sail up the Congo. ... The pillar bearing the arms of Portugal erected by Cão at Cape St. ... The Kongo Empire was an African kingdom located in southwest Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... Events Richard Fox becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... Bartolomeu Dias (Anglicized: Bartholomew Diaz) (c. ... The Cape of Good Hope headland seen from the north 1888 Map of the Cape of Good Hope Triangular Postage Stamp The Cape of Good Hope is a headland in South Africa, near Cape Town, traditionally — and incorrectly — regarded as marking the turning point between the Atlantic Ocean and the... The Indian Ocean is the third-largest body of water in the world, covering about 20% of the Earths water surface. ... Events Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama visits Quelimane and Moçambique in southeastern Africa. ... See Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama for the football club. ...

Discovery of the Americas

Main article: European colonization of the Americas

Portugal's great rival Spain had been somewhat slower that their smaller neighbour to begin exploring the Atlantic, and it was not until late in the century that Castilian sailors began to compete with their Iberian neighbours. The first contest was for control of the Canary Islands, which Castille won. It was not until the union of Aragon and Castille and the completion of the reconquista that the large nation became fully committed to looking for new trade routes and colonies overseas. In 1492 the joint rulers of the nation thus decided to fund Christopher Columbus' expedition that hoped to by pass Portugal's lock on Africa and the Indian Ocean by travelling east to Asia. The Vikings were the first Europeans to reach the Americas, starting but then abandoning a colonisation process. ... The Kingdom of Spain or Spain ( Spanish: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne dEspanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma; Galician: Reino da España) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. ... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area  – Total  – % of Spain Ranked 13th  7 447 km  1,5% Population  – Total (2003)  – % of Spain  – Density Ranked 8th  1 843 755  4,4%  247,58/km Demonym  – English  – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... Capital Zaragoza Area  - total  - % of Spain Ranked 4th 47 719 km 9,4% Population  - Total (2003)  - % of Spain  - Density Ranked 11th 1 217 514 2,9% 25,51/km Demonym  - English  - Spanish Aragonese aragon s Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982 ISO 3166-2 AR Parliamentary representation  Congress seats  Senate... A former kingdom of Spain, Castile comprises the two regions of Old Castile in north-western Spain, and New Castile in the centre of the country. ... For other uses, see Reconquista (Disambiguation). ... Events January 2 - Boabdil, the last Moorish King of Granada, surrenders his city to the army of Ferdinand and Isabella after a lengthy siege. ... No authentic contemporary portrait of Columbus has been found; this late 19th-century engraving is one of many conjectural images For information about the director, see the article on Chris Columbus. ...

Columbus did not reach Asia, but rather found a New World, North America. The issue of defining areas of influence became critical and was resolved by Papal intervention in 1494 led to the Treaty of Tordesillas that divided the world between the two powers. The Portuguese "received" everything outside of Europe east of a line that ran 270 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands; this gave them control over Africa, Asia and western South America (Brazil). The Spanish received everything west of this line, territory that was still almost completely unknown. The New World is one of the names used for the continents of North and South America and adjacent islands collectively, in use since the 16th century. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... Events January 25 - Alfonso II becomes King of Naples. ... The Treaty of Tordesillas (signed at Tordesillas (Castile), June 7, 1494) divided the world outside of Europe in an exclusive duopoly between the Spanish and the Portuguese along a north-south meridian 370 leagues (1770 km; 1100 miles) west of the Cape Verde Islands (off the coast of Senegal in... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Cape Verde ( Portuguese: Cabo Verde) is a republic located on an archipelago of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. ... The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ...

Columbus and other Spanish explorers were initially disappointed with their discoveries. Unlike Africa or Asia the Caribbean islanders had little to trade with the Spanish ships. The islands thus became the focus of colonization efforts. It was not until the continent itself was explored that Spain found the wealth it had sought in the form of abundant gold. In the Americas the Spanish found a number of empires that were as large and populous as those in Europe. However, the Spanish conquistadors, with the aid of the pandemics of disease their arrival unleashed, managed to conquer them with only a handful of men. Once Spanish suzereignancy was established the main focus became the extraction and export of gold and silver. Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under Spanish rule between the 15th and 17th centuries. ... This article is about outbreaks of disease. ...

In 1519, the same year that Cortez's army landed in Mexico the Spanish crown funded the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. The goal of the mission was to find the Spice Islands by travelling west, and thus placing them in the Spanish sphere. The expedition was a success and became the first to circumnavigate the world upon its return three years later. The United Mexican States or Mexico ( Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México; regarding the use of the variant spelling Méjico, see section The name below) is a country located in North America, bordered to the north by the United States of America, to the southeast by Guatemala and Belize, to... Ferdinand Magellan (Spring 1480 – April 27, 1521; Portuguese: Fernão de Magalhães; Spanish: Fernando de Magallanes) was a Portuguese sea explorer who sailed for Spain. ... This article covers the history of the idea of the Maluku Islands in other cultures, that is, as The Spice Islands. ... To circumnavigate a place, such as an island, a continent, or the Earth is to travel all the way around it by boat or ship. ...

Decline of the Portuguese monopoly

The Portuguese crown launched an audacious scheme to keep control the sources and routes that had been declared theirs. Under the King D. Manuel I, The strategy was to build a series of forts that would control all the major trade routes. Thus forts and colonies were established on the Gold Coast, Luanda, Mozambique, Zanzibar, Mombassa, Socotra, Ormuz, Calcutta, Goa, Bombay, Malacca, Macau, and Timor. In the east, the Portuguese were the first westerners to reach and trade with Japan. Luanda (formerly called Loanda) is the largest city and capital of Angola. ... Mozambique is a country in Southern Africa, bordering South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. ... Map of Zanzibars main island Zanzibar, Tanzania, comprises a pair of islands off the east coast of Africa called Zanzibar (Unguja) (1994 est. ... Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya. ... Socotra (or Soqotra) is a small archipelago of four islands and islets in the Indian Ocean off the Horn of Africa some 350 km south of the Republic of Yemen, which administers Socotra for the Banu Afrar Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra. ... Ormus (also Ohrmuzd, Hormuz, Ohrmazd) was a kingdom in the 16th to 17th centuries around the Persian Gulf, in particular the Strait of Hormuz. ... This article is on Calcutta/Kolkata, the city. ... Two letter code GA Country India Capital — Administrative — Judicial1   — Panaji — Mumbai Location — Latitude — Longitude   — 15° N — 73° E Governor SC Jamir Chief Minister Prataph Sing Rane State language Konkani Liberation Day December 19, 1961 Statehood Day May 30, 1987 Population 1. ... This article or section should be merged with Mumbai Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) is the worlds most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world. ... Malacca is also the name of the largest village on Car Nicobar, the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands. ... National motto: none Official languages Cantonese and Portuguese Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah Area  - Total  - % water (Not ranked) 27. ... Timor is an island at the south of the Malay Archipelago, divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, part of the Indonesian province of Nusa Tenggara Timur with the surface of 11,883 sq mi/ 30,777 km². The name is a variant of timur, Malay... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ...

The Portuguese also controlled Brazil, which had been discovered in 1500 by Pedro Álvares Cabral and lied partly on the Portuguese side of the global "divide" set at Tordesilas. The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... Events Europes population was ~60 million. ... Pedro Álvares Cabral - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Portugal had some trouble expanding its empire inland, however, concentrating mostly on the coastal areas.

The days of near monopoly of east trade were numbered. Portuguese hegemony in the east was broken by Dutch, French and British explorers. Its hegemony disappeared when, in 1580 when the Spanish King Philip II became also King of Portugal, as rightful heir to the Crown after his cousin D. Sebastiao died without sons (Philip II of Spain was grandson of D. Manuel I of Portugal). The combined empires were simply too big to be kept unchallenged, and to resist those challenges. Events March 1 - Michel de Montaigne signs the preface to his most significant work, Essays. ...

Most of the Portuguese possessions were however kept for more than 300 years. The first to go was Brazil in 1822 and the last was Macao in 1999. The Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil in Portuguese) is the largest and most populous country in South America, and fifth largest in the world. ... National motto: none Official languages Cantonese and Portuguese Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah Area  - Total  - % water (Not ranked) 27. ...

Northern European involvement

The nations outside of Iberia refused to acknowledge the Treaty of Tordesillas. France, the Netherlands, and Britain each had a long maritime tradition, and despite Iberian protections, the new technologies and maps soon made their way north. France - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Netherlands ( Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands ( Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... The word Britain is used to refer to the United Kingdom (UK) the island of Great Britain, which consists of the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales sometimes the Roman province called Britain or Britannia The word British generally means belonging to or associated with Britain in either of the...

The first of these missions was that of John Cabot funded by the British. It was the first of a series of French and British missions exploring North America. Spain had largely ignored the northern part of the Americas as it had few people and far fewer riches than Central America. The expeditions of Cabot, Cartier and others were mainly hoping to find the Northwest passage and thus a link to the riches of Asia. This was never discovered but in their travels other possibilities were found and in the early seventeenth century colonist from a number of Northern European states began to settle on the east coast of North America. Giovanni Caboto (c. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... Some possible Northwest Passage routes through the Canadian archipelago For the film of this name, see Northwest Passage (movie). ...

It was the northerners who also became the great rivals to the Portuguese in Africa and around the Indian Ocean. Dutch, French, and British ships began to flaunt the Portuguese monopoly and found trading forts and colonies of their own. Gradually the Portuguese were forced out of many of their most valuable possessions. The northerners also took the lead in exploring the last unknown regions of the Pacific Ocean. Dutch explorers such as Willem Jansz and Abel Tasman explored the coasts of Australia while in the eighteenth century it was British explorer James Cook that mapped much of Polynesia. Willem Jansz (c. ... Abel Janszoon Tasman (1603 - 1659) was a Dutch seafarer and explorer, born in Lutjegast, a village in the province of Groningen, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644, in the service of the VOC (Dutch East India Company). ... Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only one to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/ Oceania. ... British explorer James Cook is most noted for having discovered Australia and Hawaii. ... Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesi = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ...

Effect on Europe

The effect of the Age of Exploration was unprecedented. For millennia it had been the Mediterranean economy that had been the continent's most vibrant and regions like Italy and Greece had thus been the wealthiest and most potent. The newly dominant Atlantic economy was controlled by the states of Western Europe, such as France, Britain, and Germany, and to the present they have been the wealthiest and most powerful in Europe. The Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Greece, formally called the Hellenic Republic ( Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ...

Following the period of exploration was the Commercial Revolution as trans-oceanic trade became commonplace. The importance of trade made it so that traders and merchants, not the feudal landowners, were the most powerful class in society. In time in Britain, France and other nations thus bourgeoisie would come to control the politics and government of the nations. The Commercial Revolution lasted from (approximately) 1520 to 1650. ...

End of the Age of Exploration

The age of exploration is generally said to have ended in the early seventeenth century, by this time European vessels were well enough built and their navigators competent enough to travel to virtually anywhere on the planet. Exploration, of course, continued. The Arctic and Antarctic seas were not explored until the nineteenth century. It also took much longer for Europeans to reach the interior of continents such as North America and Africa than it did the coasts.

References

• Carlo Cipolla, European Culture and Overseas Expansion
• Daniel O'Sullivan, The Age of Discovery
• J.H. Parry, The Discovery of the Sea
• Boies Penrose, Travel and Discovery in the Renaissane: 1420-1620

See also: Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact The expression pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact usually refers to possible interactions between the Native American peoples and the cultures of other continents — Europe, Africa, Asia, or Oceania — before the historically recorded European discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. ...