2) What were FOUR challenges facing the newly independent states?

Advances in technology of course influenced the european age of exploration because having better ships with sturdier hulls enabled them to withstand worse storms and travel further and faster. what also was the usage and invention of the compass with which they always knew which direction they were supposed to go towards, provided they had a map(better maps and skills in cartography that were being advanced is another improvement that happened in these times.)