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Tenochtitlan was the capital of the Aztec empire. It was a center of flourishing trade and social interation, and for years, other civilizations tried to capture it.
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A massive plauge carried by flea-infested rats that killed 25 million people in Europe, one-third of the population.
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Guns changed the way Europenas fought wars. Guns could, obviously, kill at a further distance and were most likely lighter weight.
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The Cape of Good Hope is at the tip of Africa, and was initially believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, although this is not true. The first European to reach the Cape was Bartolomeu Dias.
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The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg. Using this, the first ever book was printed-the Bible. The movable printing press allowed all books to be massed produced, not just the Bible. It became popular throughout Europe, and led to the first assemply-line production of books.
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The slave auctions in America were was not the only example of slave trade. While slaves were being bought and sold in the USA, there were also other auctions of slaves in other countries. The slaves here were from Africa, kidnapped to be forced to do work without pay.
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Vasco de Gama was the first explorer to sail right from Europe to India by sea. Once he reached India, he established a long-lasting colonial empire in Asia. Because of this, the Portugese would not have to cross the highly dangerous Medeterranean Sea, or Arabia, to reach Asia.
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When Colombus discovered America, he initially thought he had arrived in Asia, specifically India. This is why today, Native Americans are still sometimes called "Indians". As we know, Colombus was not the first to arrive in the New World, although he was an influential historical figure.
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The smallpox virus killed vast amounts of Native Amreicans in the 1500's. Brought to the New World by Europeans, they had never been exposed to smallpox and could not fight it off. Millions were killed as the virus spread, and the Native Americans thought this to be a punishment from God.
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Both of these people were incredibly influential during the tme of the Renaissance. William Shakespeare was a playwriter. He is well-known for works such as Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth. Michaelangelo was arguably one of the greatest artists of all time. He was most well-known for his sculptures and paintings.
