What territories did Europeans know on the 15th century?
Answers
Answer:
Key Points
The Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America; in the 10th century, they formed settlements in what is presently Greenland and Newfoundland.
While Western history often centers on Europeans as the earliest and most advanced explorers of the world, growing evidence suggests extensive transoceanic travel had been well underway long before the European Age of Discovery.
In the 15th century, Europe sought to expand trade routes to find new sources of wealth and bring Christianity to the East and any newly found lands.
This European Age of Discovery saw the rise of colonial empires on a global scale, building a commercial network that connected Europe, Asia, Africa, and the New World.
Christopher Columbus, supported by Spain, made four voyages to the Americas beginning in 1492. During his brutal reign, he exploited the riches and resources of the indigenous peoples in the Americas. The contact between Europe and the Americas produced what is known as the Columbian Exchange: the wide transfer of plants, animals, foods, human populations (including slaves), communicable diseases, and culture between the Eastern and Western hemispheres.
Key Terms
Black Death: A rat-borne and highly contagious disease known as the bubonic plague that swept through Europe in the 1340s, killing about one-third of the population.
Columbian Exchange: The widespread trade of animals, plants, diseases, culture, people (including slaves), and ideas between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres that followed Spain’s 1492 voyage to the Americas.
Age of Discovery: The period starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world.