Renaissance Ships: Caravel, Carrack, and Galleon

A major contributor of the economic growth in the Renaissance came from trade; as bits of different cultures trickled in through spice, clothing, and (unfortunately) slave trading, the European world took off. Clothing changes, card games, food, and activities trickled in, along with new gold and gems. This new wealth allowed the rich to expand…

15th Century Portugal

Today we will round out the Iberian Penisula with Portugal, and they spent the century exploring and colonizing. At the beginning of the century, John I of Portugal is ruling. He had won his throne at the end of the last century, and when the rival bloodline died without an heir (John I of Castile),…