Question

Explain the following statement with a reason.

The European countries felt the necessity of finding new trade routes to Asia.

Answer 1

The European countries started finding new trade routes between 1400 and 1500. It is usually termed European exploration.

The reasons for this exploration are:

1. Many European nations were in constant conflict with each other as they struggled to increase their power and wealth.
2. Because of these struggles, many of the European nations believed trade with other countries in Asia was the best way to increase wealth.
3. Europeans wanted to have a profitable spice trade in the East. That is an overland route through Russia and/or the Middle East.
4. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Turks charged Christian traders high fees to get through and they needed new trade routes.
5. The Russian route was not safe because of looting bands of Mongols and Tatars that regularly raided the trade caravans.
6. Vasco da Gama found a way to the Indian Ocean around the tip of Africa; they got the spice trade while cutting out these intruders. 
7. Many Europeans guessed that one could reach Asia more quickly by sailing west.
8. This led to further explorations by Columbus to discover the Americas and the Caribbean.