Which time span best represents the real period of the Age of Exploration?

Which time span best represents the real period of the Age of Exploration?

• A. 16th to 18th century
• B. 15th to 17th century
• C. 14th to 16th century
• D. 13th to 15th century

Answer: (B)

The period starts in the mid-1400s with Portuguese exploration along Africa and quickly expands to sails across the Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean, then continues through the 1500s and into the 1600s as European powers establish global trade routes and colonies. That makes the 15th to 17th centuries the best fit, since it covers the initial bold voyages and the ensuing era of worldwide exploration and mapping. Starting earlier would misplace the actual start, while ending in the 16th or extending into the 18th shifts the timeframe away from the common historical spanning of early voyages and early global networks.

The period starts in the mid-1400s with Portuguese exploration along Africa and quickly expands to sails across the Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean, then continues through the 1500s and into the 1600s as European powers establish global trade routes and colonies. That makes the 15th to 17th centuries the best fit, since it covers the initial bold voyages and the ensuing era of worldwide exploration and mapping. Starting earlier would misplace the actual start, while ending in the 16th or extending into the 18th shifts the timeframe away from the common historical spanning of early voyages and early global networks.