Part 7/9:
The Renaissance, with its renewed interest in classical learning, art, and humanism, marked a turning point. Advances in science and technology accelerated, driven by a spirit of inquiry that originated partly from earlier interactions with Islamic scholars. European nations began to explore not just the continent but also other parts of the world, igniting an era of colonization.
A Complex Legacy: Colonization and Its Consequences
From the 16th through the 19th centuries, European powers like Spain, Portugal, and later Britain and France, established vast colonies. This expansion came at an extraordinary human cost, marked by violence, exploitation, and the systematic oppression of indigenous populations around the globe.