Age of Discovery | Hyunmo Kang

The term “Age of Discovery” carries a romantic allure. My interest in this era began during a trip to Peru when I was in middle school. It was a time when explorers ventured into the unknown, erasing blank spaces from the map. Of course, for the indigenous people, it marked the beginning of a brutal colonial era. Yet, the stories of hundreds of conquistadors toppling empires of millions fascinated me and sparked my curiosity about this complex and transformative period in history.

On the left is indio archive in Seville. On the right is Guadalquivir River of Seville.

Seville once housed the Casa de Contratación, which managed all trade with the New World (now the Archive of the Indies). At the time, the Guadalquivir River had a much greater flow, allowing massive galleons that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific to reach the heart of Seville.

On the left is Cape Roca near Syntra, On the right is Beautiful scenary of Lisbon along side with Tagus river.

Near Lisbon, there is a cape called Cabo da Roca. Standing there, gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean, one can sense the destiny of the Iberian Peninsula’s people to venture out to sea. What dreams did those men have as they crossed the vast ocean into the unknown world?