2. Explain what we mean when we say that the world ‘shrank’ in the 1500s.

When we say the world "shrank" in the 1500s, we're referring to the significant advancements in exploration and navigation during that time period, particularly by European sailors. Before the 1500s, many parts of the world were largely unknown to each other. However, during this era, explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan embarked on groundbreaking voyages that expanded European knowledge of the world and established new trade routes.

Several key developments contributed to this sense of the world "shrinking":

1. Discovery of new lands: Explorers ventured into uncharted territories, discovering new continents such as the Americas, previously unknown to Europeans. This discovery dramatically expanded the known world.

2. Establishment of trade routes: Explorers also discovered new sea routes to Asia, bypassing overland trade routes that were lengthy and dangerous. This led to increased trade between Europe, Asia, and Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.

3. Advances in navigation: Innovations in navigation techniques, such as the use of the compass, improved maps, and the astrolabe, enabled sailors to navigate more accurately across vast distances, making long sea voyages more feasible.

4. Technological advancements: The development of new ship designs, such as the caravel, enabled sailors to sail longer distances and withstand the rigors of oceanic travel more effectively.

As a result of these developments, the world became more interconnected, and the distances between distant lands seemed to shrink. This period of exploration and discovery laid the groundwork for the globalization of trade, culture, and ideas that would follow in the centuries to come.