The Age of Exploration lasted from the late 1400s to the early 1600s. It changed how countries around the world interacted with one another. This time is important because European countries began exploring and claiming new lands.

Why Did They Explore?

1. Economic Reasons:

   • European countries wanted to find new trade routes.
   • They were especially interested in spices, gold, and silver.
   • For example, the price of spices like black pepper went up more than 1,000% in Europe compared to Asia!

2. Religious Goals:

   • Many explorers wanted to spread Christianity.
   • Spanish and Portuguese explorers aimed to convert Indigenous people in the Americas and Asia. They set up missions for this purpose.

3. Political Rivalry:

   • European countries wanted to grow their empires and compete with each other.
   • Spain and Portugal often fought over land claims in the New World.

Important Explorers

1. Christopher Columbus (1492):

   • Columbus was sent by Spain and is known for discovering the Americas.
   • His journeys helped create trade routes across the Atlantic Ocean.

2. Vasco da Gama (1498):

   • Da Gama traveled to India and opened new trade routes that helped Europe get more Asian goods.

3. Ferdinand Magellan (1519-1522):

   • Magellan led the first voyage to sail around the world.
   • This journey showed how large the Earth is and helped create global trade.

What Happened After Exploration?

1. Colonization:

   • European countries set up colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. This often led to the suffering and decline of Indigenous populations.
   • For example, before Europeans arrived, about 60 million people lived in the Americas. This number dropped to around 6 million by the early 1900s because of diseases and conflicts.

2. Cultural Exchange:

   • The Columbian Exchange allowed plants, animals, and cultures to spread between the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World (Americas).
   • Foods like potatoes, tomatoes, and corn became very popular in Europe.
   • Horses and cattle were brought to the Americas, changing farming practices there.

3. Trade Networks:

   • The Age of Exploration created new trade routes that connected different continents.
   • Trade became much bigger; for example, European ships brought around $2 billion worth of gold and silver from the New World to Europe in the 1500s!

4. The Atlantic Slave Trade:

   • The need for workers on plantations in the Americas led to the forced transport of millions of Africans.
   • Between the 1500s and 1800s, it is estimated that about 12-15 million Africans were taken to the Americas against their will.

Lasting Effects

The Age of Exploration set the stage for our modern world. It created new economic connections and cultural exchanges that still affect international relations today. The impact of this period is seen in how we trade and communicate globally. These events from the Age of Exploration continue to shape discussions about history and current issues around the world.

In summary, the Age of Exploration was very significant for how countries engage with one another. It sparked changes in trade and culture that we can still see today.