The gradual recovery of ancient knowledge culminated in the Renaissance - a word that literally means "rebirth." The Renaissance originated in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe in an explosion of new ideas and technological innovations. The invention of moveable type and the printing press made the mass production of books possible. Literacy rates slowly increased and regular postal services appeared in parts of Europe, though mostly to handle commercial and governmental correspondence.

In response to the Black Death of the mid-1300's — which killed a quarter or more of the European population — cities attempted to improve sanitation by instituting measures to dispose of garbage and sewage. Another public health improvement that followed the plague was the establishment of quarantines as a means of slowing the spread of disease.

Gunpowder, though invented earlier, saw its use spread rapidly during this period. Early artillery pieces and firearms, such as the culverin and matchlock arquebus, began to appear on the battlefield. Castles were easily breached by the new artillery, and eventually became obsolete. But early gunpowder weapons were unreliable, slow to load, and dangerous to operate. Thus, their superiority over more traditional forms of weaponry, such as the longbow, was not to be fully demonstrated until the 16th Century.

Gunpowder also found a use at sea. The galleon was one of the first ships to have broadside guns as opposed to forward and rear-facing guns mounted on the deck. This allowed galleons to carry more weapons. Galleons also employed full rigging, which made them faster and more maneuverable than ships of earlier design.