Final answer:
The "meeting of three civilizations" refers to the contact between European, African, and Indigenous American civilizations initiated by European exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, leading to the Columbian Exchange and the onset of globalization in the Early Modern Era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Meeting of Three Civilizations
The description "the meeting of three civilizations" refers to the historical period during the early explorations of the New World where the European, African, and Indigenous American civilizations came into contact. This transformative era was set in motion by Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas in 1492, which led to the intertwining of these civilizations through the processes of exploration, colonization, and the Columbian Exchange. The period is marked by the spreading European influence in international trade, politics, culture, and religion, which dramatically altered existing systems and introduced new dynamics.
European explorers from Portugal, Spain, England, and France, were driven by the desire to find alternative trade routes to Asia and increase their wealth. Their encounters with the advanced civilizations of the Aztecs and the Incas, and the trade with African kingdoms, furthered this global interconnection. The contacts resulted not only in exchanges of resources and cultures but also in conflicts, colonization, and the creation of new societies in the Americas.
The era, often labeled the Early Modern Era, showcases the initial steps towards a world networked through oceanic voyages, shaping the beginnings of the modern globalization we recognize today. The exploratory endeavors of these times are significant for setting the stage for later cultural and political shifts that occurred due to the continued European expansion and colonization efforts in the New World.