Final answer:
Religion played a significant role in driving European exploration during the Age of Exploration. The main roles were to spread Christianity to indigenous populations and to establish new trade routes to Asia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religion played a significant role in driving European exploration during the Age of Exploration. One of the main motivations was to spread Christianity to indigenous populations. European explorers believed it was their mission to convert non-Christian peoples to their faith, and their expeditions often included religious leaders and missionaries who sought to convert and baptize indigenous populations.
For example, during the Spanish conquest of the Americas, Spanish explorers such as Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro saw themselves as agents of God and used religion as a justification for their actions. They forced indigenous populations to convert to Christianity and destroyed religious sites and idols that were perceived as pagan or satanic.
Additionally, religion also played a role in establishing new trade routes to Asia. European powers sought to bypass Muslim-controlled land routes to access valuable goods from Asia directly. For instance, the voyages of explorers like Vasco da Gama were not only driven by the desire for wealth but also had a religious dimension as they aimed to expand Christendom and counter the influence of Islam.
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