Chronos

Course 4 of 9 · c. 1400 to 1700

Exploration and Empires

When the continents met

The centuries when the continents were connected for the first time. The Renaissance and the Reformation, the great voyages, the conquest and colonization of the Americas and the Ottoman Empire and the great empires of Asia.

6 modules · 38 lessons · a certificate of completion

See Inside the Course
The cover of Exploration and Empires, with Mylo in costume

The period

c. 1400 to 1700, in a few lines

In a few generations Europeans reached the Americas, sailed around Africa to Asia and crossed every ocean, linking continents that had never been in regular contact.

At the same time the Renaissance reshaped art and science, the Reformation split western Christianity, and great empires in Asia rivalled Europe in wealth and power.

Moments that shaped it

Key events and turning points

  1. c. 1450

    The printing press

    Johannes Gutenberg's press with movable type makes books cheaper and spreads new ideas faster than ever.

  2. 1492

    Columbus crosses the Atlantic

    A Spanish-sponsored expedition reaches the Caribbean, beginning lasting contact between Europe and the Americas.

  3. 1498

    Vasco da Gama reaches India

    The Portuguese find a sea route around Africa to Asia and its spice trade.

  4. 1517

    Luther's Ninety-five Theses

    A dispute over faith in a German university town turns into the Reformation and splits western Christianity.

  5. 1519 to 1522

    The first voyage around the world

    Ferdinand Magellan's fleet sets out from Spain. Magellan is killed on the way, but one ship completes the circuit.

  6. 1521

    The fall of Tenochtitlan

    Hernan Cortes and his Indigenous allies take the Aztec capital, and Spain begins to build an empire in the Americas.

What you will discover

What the course covers

In about three centuries, ideas, ships and empires connected the whole world for the first time. This course follows that change from Renaissance Italy to the empires of Asia.

  • 1Enter Renaissance Florence and see how art, science and the printing press changed how Europeans saw the world.
  • 2Follow Luther and the Reformation and see how a dispute over faith split Europe and led to wars.
  • 3Sail with Vasco da Gama, Columbus and Magellan and learn how the voyages of discovery linked oceans and continents.
  • 4See how Spain and others conquered and settled the Americas, from Cortes and Pizarro to the new colonial empires.
  • 5Meet the Ottoman Empire and the great empires of Asia that matched or surpassed Europe in power and wealth.

Who it is for

  • Readers who want to understand how the modern, connected world began.
  • Fans of explorers, conquistadors and Renaissance art who want the full context.
  • Students looking for a clear line through the Renaissance, the Reformation and the age of empires.

Why it matters

  • The voyages of this era created the global trade, languages and borders we still live with.
  • The exchange of crops, animals and diseases changed life on every continent, from potatoes in Europe to horses in the Americas.
  • The Reformation and the printing press show how new ideas and new technology can break old institutions.
  • Knowing the power of the Ottomans and the Asian empires shows that Europe was not the only center of power in this era.

No prior knowledge needed. If you have ever wondered why the world is connected the way it is, you are ready.

Inside the course

6 modules and 38 lessons

This is the course exactly as it is in the app, module by module.

1The Renaissance7 lessons
  1. Why Italy? Florence and the Medici
  2. Humanism and Rediscovering the Past
  3. Leonardo da Vinci
  4. Michelangelo and Renaissance Art
  5. The Printing Press
  6. The Renaissance Beyond Italy
  7. Let's Review
2The Reformation7 lessons
  1. Europe on the Eve of the Reformation
  2. Martin Luther's 95 Theses
  3. Protestantism Spreads
  4. Calvin and Henry VIII
  5. The Catholic Counter-Reformation
  6. The Wars of Religion
  7. Let's Review
3The Age of Exploration7 lessons
  1. Why Europe Set Sail
  2. Prince Henry and Portuguese Voyages
  3. Columbus Crosses the Atlantic
  4. Vasco da Gama Reaches India
  5. Magellan Circles the Globe
  6. The Columbian Exchange
  7. Let's Review
4Conquest and Colonization of the Americas5 lessons
  1. Cortés and the Aztecs
  2. Pizarro and the Incas
  3. Spanish and Portuguese America
  4. English and French Colonies
  5. Let's Review
5The Ottoman Empire6 lessons
  1. The Rise of the Ottomans
  2. The Fall of Constantinople in 1453
  3. Suleiman the Magnificent
  4. The Sultan, the Janissaries and the Court
  5. Ruling a Diverse Empire
  6. Let's Review
6The Great Empires of Asia6 lessons
  1. Ming China and Its Treasure Fleets
  2. Qing China
  3. The Mughal Empire
  4. Safavid Persia
  5. Tokugawa Japan
  6. Let's Review

Certificate

A certificate when you finish

Finish every module of Exploration and Empires and you can issue its certificate of completion in the app, as a PDF with your name to keep and to share. Certificates are part of the Premium plan.

Chronos

Certificate of Completion

This certifies that

Alex Morgan

has completed the course

Exploration and Empires

World history learning
An example certificate with a made-up name
Before thisThe Middle Agesc. 500 to 1500Next in timeThe Age of Revolutions1700s to 1820s

Ready to start Exploration and Empires?

Explore All Nine Courses