During the time of the Middle Ages, religion was known to be a large part of European common life. Lasting from the 14th to the 17th century, the Renaissance time period, contrastingly, emphasized the importance of individual growth and creativity. Therefore, many humanists throughout the Renaissance period decided to follow through with personal desires rather than what religious society decided. A sense of freedom and individual improvement was evident during this time period, prompting Europe for an increase in culture which would then lead to advancements in the knowledge of subjects such as art, architecture and literature. Overall, the Renaissance period benefitted Europe when discussing the bettered makeup of their society. According to the various authors of McGraw Hill Higher Education, it is fair to state that Europe, “developed a new spirit of discovery,” during the Renaissance period making it easier to travel and trade efficiently. As mentioned before, Christopher Columbus ‘founded’ America during this time, although after the vikings and Leif Eriksson who truly discovered it, making it understandable that with knowledge came the incentive and ability to discover. People like Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, and Columbus were crucial in initiating the …show more content…
The crusades were beneficial to improving European culture, economy, and society as well as the ability to discover and explore. The Renaissance, too, had a significant impact on Europe regarding its renewal of knowledge and philosophy which would eventually help to discover America. The rise of the absolute monarchs in Europe allowed for social and governmental success within European civilizations along with its help towards the building of American colonies. The events prominent in Europe were crucial to the discovery of America. Without the collaboration between native and European societies in a time of peaked discovery, the existence of America may have gone unnoticed for years beyond European