History
What is The Age of Exploration?
The Age of Exploration was a period from the 15th to 17th centuries when European powers sailed the globe seeking trade routes, riches, and territory. It connected continents, reshaped world trade and empires, but also brought conquest and colonization.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the age of exploration.
Key things to understand
- 1European voyages of discovery, roughly 1400s–1600s.
- 2Driven by trade routes, gold, and new territory.
- 3It linked continents and globalized trade.
- 4It also brought conquest, colonization, and disease.
Frequently asked questions
- What was the Age of Exploration?
- An era when European powers sailed the world seeking trade, wealth, and territory, connecting continents.
- Why did the Age of Exploration happen?
- A search for direct trade routes to Asia, riches, and new lands, aided by better ships and navigation.
- What were its consequences?
- Global trade and cultural exchange, but also colonization, conquest, and devastating disease for native peoples.