From the 15th century to the 18th century a new era began as peoples world-wide gained new technology and financial abundance which allowed increased mobility and long-range travel to become more commonplace. The Age of Exploration was a time of wonder and adventure for people of the world, especially in the European nations. Christopher Columbus is most often associated with his explorations, specifically his voyages across oceans, which would eventually lead him to discover the Americas. In 1492 Christopher Columbus's voyage to America demonstrates Europe’s technological dominance during the age of exploration, its abundant wealth, and its enduring ability to influence the world today. This era highlights the importance of discovery, and …show more content…
Previously, European nations had experienced the Renaissance where they had discovered artifacts from the Roman Empire. Those discoveries spurred Europe into a time of renewed productivity, philosophy, and creativity. European culture prospered and expanded rapidly. New inventions, improved navigation techniques, shipping vessels, and increased the demand for wealth drove that expansion. The three ships used by Columbus, the Pinta, the Niña, and the Santa Maria, although arguably not the best or most seaworthy vessels of the day, nevertheless illustrate the improved navigation techniques and increased importance of trade necessary to maintain an expanding European culture. Columbus’s ships are also notably similar to the dhows of the Arabs and Indian merchants, because they were small, fast, and built initially for the Mediterranean Sea. So, in having all these new technologies and inventions, it is important to know that Europe’s wide-spread trading system allowed for the Europeans to incorporate foreign ideas for their own uses, which ultimately assisted them in both technological innovations and in