During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the neighboring countries of Spain and Portugal were both looking for quicker trade routes to Asia and India. The Portuguese took the eastern route to Asia, wrapping around southern Africa. They were the first of the two to reach Asia and India using this method. By reaching the quicker trade route first, the Portuguese ended up as one of the wealthiest countries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. As a result of Portugal’s success, its neighboring country of Spain became jealous and began pushing for expeditions of their own. After noticing Portugal’s newly acquired wealth, Spain started their own expeditions, but they decided to take a different route. The Spanish chose what is known as