Conversation so far:
Who became united?
the Kingdoms of England and Scotland.
What led to their union?
drawing increasingly together" since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and the Union of the Crowns in 1603.
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
the Age of Discovery gave new-found imperial power and wealth to the English and Welsh.
What was the Age of Discovery?
English maritime explorations.
Was the Age of Discovery a positive thing?
"catastrophic failure.

Question: Why was it a catastrophic failure?
Self-contained rewrite: Why was the Age of Discovery a catastrophic failure?