Final answer:
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Europe dominated global exploration, trade, colonization, and set cultural standards with the onset of the Renaissance and Colonialism. Key developments included the Age of Exploration and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, leading to a redistribution of wealth and power worldwide.
Step-by-step explanation:
European Dominance in the 15th and 16th Centuries
During the 15th and 16th centuries, European countries emerged from the Medieval period to dominate various aspects of global affairs, including exploration, trade, and colonization. This era saw the beginning of the Age of Exploration, spearheaded by nations such as Portugal and Spain, followed by England, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The discovery of the Americas and subsequent Colonialism and the Transatlantic Slave Trade changed the course of history, redistributing wealth and power on a scale never before experienced.
The need for new trade routes to India and Asia led to unprecedented naval expeditions, resulting in the colonization of parts of the Americas, Africa, and the coastal regions of India and Southeast Asia. During this time, cultures and civilizations that had thrived independently came under European influence or control. Furthermore, internal developments such as the Renaissance in art and culture, and the Protestant Reformation in religion, also defined this dynamic period of European history.
Competition for territory, trade routes, and the extraction of resources defined European actions, as they sought to bolster national wealth and establish religious and cultural dominance in new lands. This had lasting effects on indigenous populations and the global balance of power, with European standards in various domains becoming influential for centuries to come.