The Era of Exploration, spanning the 15th to the 17th centuries, significantly reshaped world history by expanding geographical knowledge and facilitating cultural exchanges. European explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan, driven by the pursuit of trade routes and wealth, ventured to previously unexplored territories. This period led to the colonization of the Americas, establishment of trade empires, and exploitation of resources and indigenous peoples. The interactions between different cultures, fueled by discoveries and conquests, had lasting implications on global trade, demographics, and the spread of ideas and technologies, laying the groundwork for the modern world.