The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was a major conflict in Europe during Descartes' lifetime, causing widespread devastation and political turmoil.
The founding of the East India Company in 1600 symbolized the beginning of European colonization and trade expansion into Asia and beyond.
The colonization of the Americas by European powers, including the establishment of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown in 1607, reshaped the global balance of power.
