The main reason for European exploration was the desire to enrich the countries doing the exploring. Christopher Columbus's voyage was undertaken to find a passage to India to facilitate trade for instance. Once the New World had been discovered, finding gold was the main aim of the explorers. 'Renaissance' rulers wanted more power and more wealth.
the 'Renaissance' was not an era of peace, but an era of violent and bloody warfare, countries warred with each other continously throughout this period. The exploration of the New World led to violent and bloody campaigns of annihilation against the natives of South and Central America.