Background
The resurgence of trade following the Middle Ages in Europe resulted in a demand for goods from Asia.  Trade routes were established across the Mediterranean and through the Middle East to handle this need.  But, when the expansion of the Ottoman Empire caused disruption along these routes, Europeans were forced to seek alternative ways of importing these goods.  This led to the exploration of water routes to Asia, and eventually the discovery of the Americas by the Europeans.

Exploration
In the early 1400s, Europeans began exploring the west coast of Africa in search of an all water route to Asia.  These early explorations were led by the Portuguese. In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.  In 1498, Vasco Da Gama established an all water route to India.  The success of these explorations led Spain to begin its own voyages. In 1492, Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic Ocean and discovered the Americas for Spain.  These discoveries had a lasting impact on Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Imperialism
European nations competed for colonies across the globe.  These colonies were exploited for their raw materials, and used as new markets for European goods.  Europeans had little regard for most of the indigenous peoples of these areas, and as a result, there was great loss of life and culture. Also, because of the need for a reliable labor source, slaves were transported from Africa to the Americas in large numbers.

Columbian Exchange
The Age of Exploration is a turning point in history because it altered the way people lived across the world.  The biggest aspect of this change deals with the exchange of people, plants, animals, ideas, and technology.  This is known as the Columbian Exchange, because it starts with Columbus.  While many aspects of this exchange had positive effects, such as the exchange of foods between Europe and America, there were also negative effects, such as the exchange of diseases between Europe and America.

The Age of Discovery changed the world.  Access to new and better foods allowed the European population to grow, and access to the New World gave these people a place to go.  New World civilizations such as the Inca and Aztecs, faced near total destruction of their cultures either through disease brought by the Europeans, or by colonization.  Africa faced a diaspora, or forced movement of its people, as slavery became the dominant labor force in the Americas.  The Age of Exploration was both a positive and negative experience for many civilizations.