WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -First, European countries were seeking new trade routes to distant trading partners in the Far East, including: China, India and Japan. European countries had traditionally traded with these countries through the Silk Road. The Silk Road was mostly over land and took merchants a great deal of time to ship goods.

Detailed explanation-2: -Peppercorns, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon all came from lands to the east. Also from the East came precious gems and fine silk, a fabric especially sought after for women’s clothing. These trading voyages were often paid for by investors. Read more about explorers and trade in the Renaissance.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Age of Exploration was an era characterized by global European exploration lasting between the 15th and 18th century. Mercantilism was an economic philosophy in which a country seeks to amass as much raw wealth as possible, usually through trading, monopolizing resources, and strict regulation.

Detailed explanation-4: -Two explorers from Portugal: Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama were appointed by King John II to find a new trade route to Asia. In 1488, Dias became the first European explorer to round the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.

Detailed explanation-5: -The voyages of explorers had a dramatic impact on European trade. As a result, more goods, raw materials and precious metals entered Europe. New trade centers developed, especially in the Netherlands and England. Exploration and trade led to the growth of capitalism.