Final answer:
The false sentence about the age of contact is that it occurred in the 18th century. It actually began in 1492 with Columbus's voyage, marking the start of the pivotal exchanges and impacts of the Columbian Exchange The correct option is 3.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence about the age of contact that is false is Option 3: "The age of contact occurred in the 18th century."
The age of contact broadly refers to the period marked by initial encounters between European explorers and Indigenous peoples during the Columbian Exchange, starting with Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492 and continuing through subsequent years, well before the 18th century.
During this era, there were significant exchanges of goods, cultures, plant and animal species, and diseases between the Americas (New World) and Europe, Africa, and Asia (Old World), profoundly affecting both sides.
The age of contact did indeed begin when European explorers first encountered Indigenous peoples (Option 1), led to the exchange of goods and cultures between the Old World and the New World (Option 2), and had a considerable impact on indigenous populations (Option 4).
However, Option 3 is incorrect because the age of contact began at the end of the 15th century, specifically in 1492 with Columbus's explorations, rather than in the 18th century. The correct option is 3.