The question is kinda lacking. Probably, it has choices to make the question answerable.
Answer:
B) the separation between the Orthodox Churches in the East and the Roman Catholic Church in the West
The correct answer would be C.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, an increased number of vogages occurred all around the globe, to longer distances each time. This allowed the western civilization to stablish contact with the rest of Africa, America and Oceania.
The ability to travel further distances came because 2 things: the development of better ships, such as the galleon, and the advancements in navigation technology, which allowed the ship to reach it's destination even in months-long journeys across the ocean. The astrolable was one of such technological advances, allowing the sailors to identify the position of a celestial body in the sky, and triangulate the position of the ship from that information.
