Unknown lands

"In the late Middle Ages, as the European Renaissance began to spread north from the Mediterranean and lay the foundation for a broader European culture, fascination with the New World, the land that lay beyond, also began to take hold. A great many expeditions set out to explore these unknown lands. It was a period of maritime expansion that broadened horizons and brought together men from all walks of life on what seemed to be a civilizing mission, however arrogantly perceived, and despite the fact that these sea voyages often turned out to be full of mercenary intent, replete with violence…