Dbq European Exploration

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In the 1500’s and 1600’s, Europe dived into an era of exploration of new trade routes. Exploration carried out by explorers like Cortes, Diaz and Da Gama led Europe into new lands. The main motivations of these explorers were to gather spices and gold. Their countries were infatuated with the spices of Asia and with precious metals. Religion was not the main motivation for European exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries; however, the search for wealth was. Europe was infatuated with the exotic spices of the East. The spices couldn’t be found in Europe because "Europe had no substitute for Asian spices" (Arnold 12). Europe needed to find new ways to reach the spices they so desired. This signaled European merchants to find profitable