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The Silk Road, a network of trade routes, had begun when the Han Dynasty of China opened trade with the West.
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Ptolemy creates the first flat map of the world allowing for the start of travel to truly begin and people learn of further distances.
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Marco Polo was very important in the age of exploration as his travels that he wrote about allowed Europeans to have a detailed account of China and Asia. (Inspired merchants to seek trade and knowledges shared from across the regions)
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Prince Henry the Navigator, active in the early 15th century, played a pivotal role in sponsoring voyages of exploration along the African coast. This had led to the advancements within navigation and ship design.
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The Turkish Empire cuts off the land route for spices from Asia to Europe. The search for the sea route begins. This allows for new areas along the coasts to gain trade opportunities.
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Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas in 1492. This voyage lead to people learning of new areas to expand to and find valuable resources.
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This had dramatically altered the environment, economies, and cultures of both the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World (the Americas).
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The global transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and people between the Old and New Worlds.
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This voyage established a direct sea route to India, bypassing the traditional land routes that had been controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
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Explored and conquered vast territories in the Americas, leading to the establishment of Spanish colonies.