The Age of Discovery

Paper Summary:

This paper shows the positive and negative effects of the Age of Discovery on the society of the time. The European population largely enjoyed the positive benefits - exposure to new cultures and open trade routes, new goods and advanced technology. The negative impacts were felt by the populations who were "discovered" for the first time by the Europeans.

From the Paper:

"Not unlike the way the "race for the moon" became the driving force of American scientific exploration during the 1950's and 1960's, the race to control the trade routes to the far reaches of the globe and to expand its technological knowledge of navigation became the driving force of Spanish foreign and domestic policy during the period of world history from the 15th to the 17th centuries. This period is also commonly called "The Age of Discovery" by European historians. The economic impact of Spain's forays into the New World or worlds ultimately changed the face of European knowledge of the world and the economic structure of Europe. Both the residents of Spain and Europe as a whole, however, experienced both positive and negative effects of this exploration. However, the effects upon Europe were on the whole largely beneficial, because of the increased exposure to new goods and the expansion of technology and knowledge that came as a result of colonization and exploration. However, the impact upon the existing inhabitants of the New World was largely negative."

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