Until about 1450, Europe was mostly cut off and isolated from the Silk Roads. Without access to the wealth, trade goods, technologies, and ideas that travelled from China, India, the Middle East, and North Africa, Europeans lived in the “Dark Ages.” This meant that the European economy was based on agriculture alone (Manor System), European politics were decentralized (Feudalism), and life was poor and hard for the majority of people. The only cultural unity and comfort provided to Europeans came from the Catholic Church, which established common religious laws and gave people hope in salvation.

Of course, the Middle Ages are more complex than just described. But this is a pretty fair approximation of this time in Europe, particularly in comparison to the ages that came before and after the Middle Ages.

A few events began to change the direction of European history and eventually allow Europeans to dominate global trade. During the Crusades, which were mostly between 1096-1271, European kings led armies of knights and peasants to attempt to conquer the holy city of Jerusalem, which was controlled by Muslim rulers. This began to reignite in Europeans a taste for worldly goods. The Black Death, which came to Europe through trade routes in 1348, devastated the population, but also increased the standard of living for survivors, allowing them to purchase more imported goods.

Other events and incentives for European exploration are identified in the documents that follow. Ultimately, these events spurred Europeans to take risks and make innovations that brought Europe out of the Dark Ages and into a Golden Age (the Renaissance). The series of voyages and expeditions made by Europeans to link Europe to the global trade and wealth of the east would be known as The Age of Exploration.