Final answer:
The fall of Constantinople in 1453 significantly impacted the initiation of the Renaissance by causing Greek scholars and texts to move to Italy and by disrupting trade routes, promoting the Age of Exploration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The event that significantly impacted the initiation of the Renaissance was the fall of Constantinople. This historical moment marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and led to various cultural and intellectual exchanges that spurred the Renaissance. The conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 caused many Greek scholars and their works to flee to Italy, bringing with them the classical knowledge and ideas that contributed heavily to the intellectual and cultural developments during the Renaissance.
Furthermore, the fall of Constantinople disrupted trade routes, which compelled European powers to search for new trading pathways, thus initiating the Age of Exploration. This directly encouraged the rise of navigational innovations and expansion of the European worldview. During this period, new classes of bankers, merchants, and skilled artisans arose, which further facilitated the blossoming of arts and sciences that define the Renaissance era.