How did new technologies lead to the exploration and colonization of the Western Hemisphere?

Well one new technology that helped with the colonizaton of the Western Hemisphere was the invention better ships. One such ship was known as the Caravel and was developed by the Portuguese in the 1400s. The big advantage of the caravel was its ability to not only sail faster the other ships of its day but infact sail INTO the wind. As you can imagine this helped alot.