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### The European Renaissance ###
The Renaissance, meaning "rebirth," was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political, and economic "rebirth" following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art. Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen, scientists, and artists in human history thrived during this era, while global exploration opened up new lands and cultures to European commerce. The Renaissance is credited with bridging the gap between the Middle Ages and modern-day civilization.
### The Development of Science ###
The Renaissance was not just about art; it was also a revolution in science. This period saw the birth of the scientific method, a systematic approach to understanding the natural world through observation and experimentation. Key figures like Nicolaus Copernicus, who proposed the heliocentric model (Sun at the center), and Galileo Galilei, who used the telescope to support Copernicus's theory, challenged the long-held geocentric view (Earth at the center) supported by the Church. This shift in thinking laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics.
### The Age of Exploration ###
Driven by a desire for wealth, new trade routes, and the spread of Christianity, European nations embarked on an era of exploration. The Portuguese and Spanish were the pioneers. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal sponsored voyages down the coast of Africa, leading to the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama in 1498. Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, stumbled upon the Americas in 1492 while searching for a westward route to Asia. These voyages connected the world as never before, leading to the exchange of goods, ideas, and unfortunately, diseases, in what is known as the Columbian Exchange.
### The Industrial Revolution ###
While the Renaissance laid the intellectual foundations, the Industrial Revolution, beginning in the late 18th century in Britain, transformed the economic and social landscape. It marked the transition from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam power and water power, the development of machine tools and the rise of the mechanized factory system. The textile industry was the first to use modern production methods, and the steam engine, improved by James Watt, was a pivotal invention that powered this revolution.