Final answer:
Superior weaponry, especially firearms and gunpowder, enabled European explorers to dominate native populations despite not having superior numbers. The astrolabe and compass were crucial for navigation but did not directly relate to combat tactics. Native peoples adapted European metal into their own weapons, leading to an arms race and altering regional power dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The superior weaponry used by European nations during early exploration, particularly gunpowder technology, played a significant role in their ability to conquer and dominate native populations. Despite the fact that the astrolabe was an important navigational device, it did not play a direct role in ship-to-ship conflict as suggested in option A. Instead, the adoption of gunpowder and firearms afforded European explorers a tremendous advantage in combat, as noted in option B.
This meant they did not necessarily need superior numbers to conquer native peoples. The conflict between Europeans and natives was not merely a comparison between bronze weapons and primitive tools, as natives adopted and refashioned European metal into their own weaponry. While the compass was crucial for navigation, it did not by itself improve tactical plans for attacking natives as option D suggests.
Indeed, European technological advancements, including firearms and the adoption of non-European navigational technology, allowed for unprecedented exploration and conquest.