Some points of departure Men have always lived in a changing world. There have been certain periods in history, however, when changes occurred with such speed and transformed so many different aspects of life that they were truly revolutionary.

The “revolutions” began in Europe. During the revolution now called the Renaissance, men became increasingly curious about the world around them. During the Commercial Revolution, traders from Spain, Portugal, England, and other nations facing the Atlantic discovered new, all-waters routes to Asia and so destroyed the monopoly of the Italian traders of Genoa and Venice

During the Geographic Revolution, European explorers, led by Columbus, discovered a New World far across the Atlantic.

In England a revolutionary spirit of independence began to grow. Englishmen had been insisting since the 1200’s that they had ‘right’ to share in the government and to be ‘represented’ in the lawmaking body called Parliament.

This movement stretched over too long a period to be called a “revolution.” But it was in full swing by the 1600’s, and the changes it brought in the way men lived and governed themselves were nothing short of revolutionary.

In such an age-an exciting age in which new ideas and new ways of living were transforming the everyday affairs of life in Europe-Englishmen made their first permanent New World settlement and brought to it the principle of representative government

Key points European peoples’ dreams: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, English, etc. Explorers Norsemen: 1000 Columbus:1492 Vasco da Gama: 1497 Magellan: 1521 Balboa: 1513 July 30, 1588 : Spanish-Englishmen war