The main impact of the Age of Exploration, which spanned from the late 15th century to the early 17th century, was the expansion of European influence and the establishment of global trade networks. This period saw explorers like Columbus, Magellan, and Vasco da Gama travel to new lands, leading to the European colonization of the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia. The consequences were profound: it initiated the global exchange of goods, cultures, and ideas, altered economies, and resulted in both significant wealth for European nations and devastating effects on indigenous populations, including displacement and disease.