Middle Ages Regents Practice Exam 2025 - Free Regents Practice Questions and Study Guide

The increase in European exploration is a significant lasting impact of the Crusades, as the campaigns intensified interactions between Europe and the East. During the Crusades, Europeans were exposed to new cultures, ideas, and goods, which sparked a desire for exploration and trade. The contact with the Islamic world introduced Europeans to advanced knowledge in fields like navigation, mathematics, and science, along with valuable commodities such as spices, silk, and precious metals. This awakening curiosity motivated explorers in the years following the Crusades to seek new trade routes and territories, leading ultimately to the Age of Discovery.

While the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the rise of the Mongol Empire, and the establishment of the Catholic Church's dominance were all significant events in their own right, they do not directly illustrate the impact of the Crusades on the European spirit of exploration. The Crusades specifically stirred a quest for knowledge and resources that would culminate in increased exploration beyond the known world of the time.