Age of exploration and reformation

Jan Hus

A Czech theologian and reformer who criticized the Catholic Church and was burned at the stake for heresy.

John Wycliffe

An advocate for reform in the Church, including the translation of the Bible into vernacular languages.

Excommunication

The official exclusion of someone from participating in the sacraments and services of the Church.

Indulgences

Payments to the Church believed to reduce punishment for sins, controversial for exploiting the faithful.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided newly discovered lands.

Mercantilism

An economic system where governments controlled trade to increase their wealth and power.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, people, diseases, cultures, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World.

Ferdinand Magellan

An explorer known for leading the first expedition that circumnavigated the globe.

Lay investiture

The appointment of Church officials by secular authorities, controversial for challenging Church authority.

Simony

The buying or selling of Church offices or positions.

Gutenberg Press

A printing invention that allowed mass production of books, increasing the availability of information.

Martin Luther

A German monk who initiated the Protestant Reformation by criticizing Catholic Church practices.

95 Theses

Martin Luther's list of arguments against certain Church practices, especially the sale of indulgences.

Vasco da Gama

A Portuguese explorer who was the first European to reach India by sea, opening a sea route to Asia.

Spice Islands

Islands rich in valuable spices that attracted European explorers and traders.

Columbus's impact on the New World

His voyages initiated European colonization of the Americas and increased the exchange of goods, people, and cultures.

Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés

Spanish conquistadors who conquered the Inca and Aztec Empires, respectively.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of economies and cultures through historical trade and exchange.

Role of colonies in the Age of Exploration

Establishing colonies was aimed at gaining resources, expanding trade, and spreading influence.

Prince Henry the Navigator

A Portuguese royal who sponsored voyages along the African coast, advancing European navigation.