The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration, was a pivotal period from the 15th to the 17th century when European seafarers embarked on extensive global voyages. These expeditions led to the mapping of the world, the establishment of new trade routes, and the beginning of European colonization, fundamentally reshaping global connections and laying the groundwork for modern globalization. It was an era of immense change, marked by both groundbreaking achievements and profound, often devastating, consequences for Indigenous populations.