What event marks the beginning of the modern age in world history?

The Industrial Revolution and the Age of Exploration together mark the beginning of the Modern Age, typically around the 15th to 18th centuries. However, historians often associate the Renaissance (starting in the 14th century) and Christopher Columbus’s voyage to America in 1492 as the symbolic start of the modern era. These events brought revolutionary changes in science, politics, economy, and society. The period witnessed the decline of feudal systems, rise of democracy, colonization, and technological innovation. The Modern Age represents a shift toward industrialization, globalization, and the dominance of rational and scientific thought.