Cristoforo Colombo

Europeans were interested in exploration before Columbus' journey because they were eager to establish new trade routes. Over the preceding centuries, sophisticated trade routes had developed around the world. There was the Silk Road that took goods between China and Europe. The Middle East was linked with India, Southeast Asia and with the east coast of Africa. However, because of the failure of Christians to dominate the Middle East in the Crusades, Muslim lands were often hostile to European traders. This spurred exploration in search of new trade routes, and new resources. Europeans had been exposed to many Eastern goods -- silk and spices were in particular demand -- but the political dimensions of long-distance trade made the acquisition of Eastern goods an uncertain proposition. One of the major reasons for exploration was the emerging idea that the world was round and therefore by sailing westward across the...
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