How did the renaissance lead to european exploration?

What were some of the characteristics of the European Renaissance that prompted and promoted the exploration and settlement of the New World?

This was a time when new ideas were introduced to Europe. Up until this time Europe was still in the backwaters while middle-Eastern Islamic cultures were flourishing with discoveries in science and math. The eyes of the Europeans were opened through the Crusades. This was the time when the minds of the people became more focused on H.S.I (Humanism, Secularism, and Individualism). . Answer . Europe was filled with plague and beheadings at that time, so it wasn't a happy place.

http://www.answers.com/Q/How_did_the_Renaissance_lead_to_European_exploration

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