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In 476 AD, the Roman Empire fell, ending nearly 1,000 years of stability in Europe.
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From 1095 to 1291, Europeans fought the Crusades, a series of wars over Jerusalem and to stop Turkish expansion.
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Europeans became very interested in spices from the East, which led to the growth of the Spice Trade.
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A major trade city was Constantinople, but in 1453 it was taken over by the Ottoman Empire, making trade routes unsafe.
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Christopher Columbus entered the story trying to find a new route to the Far East by sailing west.
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In 1492, Columbus reached the Western Hemisphere, believing he had found a new route to Asia.