Which one of the following caused the Age of Exploration?

Question

Which one of the following caused the Age of Exploration?

A. the desire to find gold in the Americas
B. a demand for enslaved people in the Americas
C. the demand for cheaper tobacco in Europe
D. the desire to find a water route to Asia

Answer 1

"It was not until the carrack and then the caravel were developed in Iberia that European thoughts returned to the fabled East. These explorations have a number of causes. Monetarists believe the main reason the Age of Exploration began was because of a severe shortage of bullion in Europe. The European economy was dependent on gold and silver currency, but low domestic supplies had plunged much of Europe into a recession."

"Another factor was the centuries long conflict between the Iberians and the Muslims to the south. The eastern trade routes were controlled by the Ottoman Empire after the Turks took control of Constantinople in 1453, and they barred Europeans from those trade routes. The ability to outflank the Muslim states of North Africa was seen as crucial to their survival."

"It was not until the union of Aragon and Castile and the completion of the reconquista that the large nation became fully committed to looking for new trade routes and colonies overseas. In 1492 the joint rulers of the nation conquered the Moorish kingdom of Granada, that had been providing Castile with African goods through its tribute, and they decided to fund Christopher Columbus' expedition that they hoped would bypass Portugal's lock on Africa and the Indian Ocean reaching Asia by travelling west."

"Age of Discovery : Exploration begins in Portugal & European colonization of the Americas" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_Age#Exploration_begins_in_Portugal

Answer 2

D. the desire to find a water route to Asia


i.e. Columbus getting sponsored by the queen of Spain to find a more direct route to Asia for trading.

Answer 3

D. the desire to find a water route to Asia

Answer 4

The Monopoly Italy had. The other countries wanted to find a new trade route to Asia than rather pay the Italian Taxes on all the trading posts.

Answer 5

Originally D, later A

Answer 6

Go with C. Tobacco, native in the Americas, was the reason that Europeans went exporing, and found America.
This question is utterly dumb. There is no way that 3 of the answers are even physically possible.
As a teacher, I am both saddened that your teacher put this on a test/HW assignment, and furious that you needed to ask this question.

Answer 7

D, they were trying to get rid of the oriental merchants who sold them the products at really high prices.

Answer 8

D

Answer 9

D:D