mainly by technological advancements and economic, political, and religious incentives. Improvements such as the astrolabe, the armed vessel, more reliable magnetic compass and more accurate maps together with the desire to enhance national prestige (Nationalism) , nation wealth & territory, prestige for Monarchs; possibility of personal wealth, fame, & social prestige associated with the quest for new geographical knowledge and desire to spread Christianity. The age of European exploration and discovery represented a new period of global interaction and interconnectivity.