What is Age of Exploration?

Age of Exploration showcases a range of digitised primary source material relating to the history of European – particularly British, Dutch, French, Portuguese, and Spanish – exploration from Europe across the world.

Students and researchers can delve into a wealth of documents relating to exploration from the early fifteenth century to the early twentieth century. The material within this collection provides a unique insight into early exploration of North and South America, the tensions between these European empires and their efforts at colonisation, the search for Terra Australis and eventual mapping of Australasia by major European explorers, as well as the search for the Northwest Passage and the effects of this upon global trade, and the race for the north and south poles. 

These histories are presented through correspondence, diaries and journals, rare manuscript and printed books, scientific and government papers, ships’ logbooks, and charts and maps.

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