Exploration changed how different cultures shared ideas during a time called the Age of Exploration, from the 15th to the 17th centuries.

During this time, European explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama went on journeys that brought together faraway parts of the world.

Important Routes and Discoveries:

• Columbus (1492): He opened up the Americas for European settlement.
• Vasco da Gama (1498): He found a sea route to India, which helped trade with Asia grow.

Cultural Exchanges:

1. Trade: New trade routes allowed the exchange of exciting goods, such as:

   • Spices like nutmeg and cinnamon from Asia.
   • Valuable metals from the Americas.
   • Foods like potatoes and tomatoes that were now shared around the world.

2. Knowledge Sharing:

   • New farming methods helped improve food production.
   • Better navigation tools and maps made sea travel easier.

3. Religious and Philosophical Ideas:

   • Missionaries talked about Christianity in new areas.
   • Native beliefs started to affect European ways of thinking.

Influential Facts:

• The Columbian Exchange, which refers to the exchange of goods after Columbus's journey, is estimated to have moved around $20 billion worth of goods in the first century.
• By the year 1600, over 60% of what Europeans ate included food from the Americas.

Through exploration and settlement, people from different cultures mixed together. This blending created a rich mix of knowledge and customs that helped shape our modern world.