Final answer:
The competition for resources among European nations led to increased rivalries and the spread of colonialism underpinned by mercantilist policies. Absolute monarchs used trade and colonial wealth to centralize power, while the rise of humanism during the Renaissance fostered a spirit of inquiry and individualism. The Age of Exploration was a period marked by European global expeditions in search of trade and territory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The competition for resources significantly affected the relationships among European nations, often leading to rivalries, diplomatic tensions, and even warfare. The desire for wealth, power, and prestige drove nations to establish colonies and monopolize trade routes, particularly during the Age of Exploration. European powers, such as Spain, Portugal, England, France, and the Netherlands, vied for control of territories, especially in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. These colonial efforts were often justified through mercantilism, a theory which held that the wealth of a nation depended on its accumulation of precious metals and the establishment of a favorable balance of trade, often through the exploitation of colonies.
Absolute monarchs leveraged the wealth amassed from trade and colonies to strengthen their own power. Typically asserting a divine right to rule, they centralized their control and curtailed the powers of other social groups, such as the nobility. These monarchs often relied on organized bureaucracies to maintain control over their diverse and sprawling domains.
Humanism, a significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance, placed focus on the importance of human potential and achievements. This philosophical perspective was closely allied with the rediscovery and study of classical literature and arts, promoting individualism and stirring new thinking that sometimes challenged established religious and political norms.
The Age of Exploration, in one sentence, was a period of extensive overseas exploration spearheaded by European powers aiming to find new trading routes and territories, which led to the discovery and colonization of new lands.