HISTORY
NEW GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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They had alliances with European nations to send out expeditions.
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They had a large country and a long tradition of Asian exploration.
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They had a large fleet and had defeated Spain in recent sea battles.
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They had expert knowledge and advanced navigational technology.
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Detailed explanation-1: -Because the Portuguese did not want to be dependent on the Muslim Turks for their spices, they were determined to find a maritime route to Asia to profit from the highly lucrative spice trade.
Detailed explanation-2: -Access to commodities such as fabrics, spices, and gold motivated a European quest for a faster means to reach South Asia. It was this search that led the Portuguese down the coast of West Africa to Sierra Leone in 1460.
Detailed explanation-3: -Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portugal took the principal role during most of the fifteenth century in searching for a route to Asia by sailing south around Africa. In the process, the Portuguese accumulated a wealth of knowledge about navigation and the geography of the Atlantic Ocean.
Detailed explanation-4: -Europeans wanted the power and resulting wealth that would come from controlling trade. Finding all-water routes to Asia and its riches would allow European merchants to cut out Middle Eastern middlemen and reap all the profits of eastern trade.