Factors Leading to European Exploration
Subject:
European History [1]
Jake DiMeglio Pd. 3 9/20/08 Factors Leading to European Exploration In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, many European countries were intrigued to search for an alternate route to get to the Indies. The Portuguese were the first to follow through with these desires when they attempted to sail around the tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. There was then the ever famous Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer who was sponsored by Spain to travel across the Atlantic in search of the Indies in 1492. The real question is not who traveled, how they traveled, or when they traveled, but rather why they traveled. The three major factors that prompted these explorations were promoting religion, technological advancements, and the desire for political and economic advancement.