The main way in which humanism influenced the works of renaissance artists and authors was that it put the focus back on the human mind and body as opposed to only God. This is exemplified in many works of art that focus on the body itself, especially in the realm of sculpture. <span />
Neil Armstrong was the first person to step on the moon
What do you mean colonies? You mean the 13 colonies?
The imrpoved agricultural techniques, such as the three field system, the climate change, and the horse plows. These effected Western Europe during the middle ages because the three field system produced better crops, the climate opened more land to farming, and the horse plows allowed faster harvesting. This made life a lot easier for farmers.