The Age of Maritime Connections

The era that describes the 16th/17th century is essentially an era of maritime connections. This period time saw an influx of sea trade, naval exploration, which lead to discovery and economic growth throughout the world. This era was marked by events such as colonization across the Atlantic sea, East Asian trade throughout the Indian ocean, and more generally, connections being formed between every populated continent on the planet.

Had this era been omitted from history, Asian countries would most likely be our contemporary super powers. Resource-empty Europe only was able to succeed because of the pressure that Asian countries put on them. Europe had to find resources in order to stay alive in this competitive game of survival, that we call the 16th century. By exploiting the Americas and Africa, Europe was able to take advantage of the resources around them. And there's no way they would have been able to even reach these countries with such ease, if not for their powerful navy.