Which of the following changes best justifies the claim that late 1400s C.E. marked the beginning of a new period in world history?
A) The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg, leading to a revolution in communication and the spread of knowledge.
B) Christopher Columbus reached the Americas, initiating the Columbian Exchange and greatly impacting global trade, culture, and demographics.
C) The Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and altering the political landscape of Europe and Asia.
D) The fall of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain, concluded the centuries-long Reconquista and solidified the power of Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula.