Why did Europeans explore the world?

To find a sea route to the spices of Asia

Spices and silk were only found in Asian countries
like China, Japan, and India. It was very difficult to
get spices from Asia to Europe. Spices had to be
brought across thousands of miles of dangerous
mountains and deserts by spice traces, with bandits
waiting to rob the spice caravans.

To find gold, silver, and precious stones
Europeans fought many wars and needed to find lots
of gold, silver and precious stones to pay for them.
They thought Asia was loaded with gold, silver and
precious stones, so they decided to find it and bring
it back.
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To expand knowledge of the world
In the 1400s Europeans had no idea how big the
world was. The European map of the world only
included Europe, Asia, and the top of Africa.
European explorers gained new knowledge of the
world through explorations.

To control larger empires
Some European rulers wanted to claim as much land
as possible. They wanted all the natural resources
from the land and wanted the people who lived
there to do all of the work.

To expand Christianity
In the late 1400s, there was only one religion in
Europe, Christianity. The European rulers were very
religious and wanted everyone to convert to
Christianity.

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