Final answer:
In the fifteenth century, new trade routes were sought to bypass costly and slow monopolies of existing trade routes, to avoid Ottoman taxes, and to search for new markets and resources. this period marked the beginning of the age of exploration, influenced by a combination of economic, political, and religious motivations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why were new trade routes needed in the fifteenth century? New trade routes were sought in the fifteenth century primarily to bypass monopolies held by middlemen who controlled the existent east-west trade routes. By finding new paths, European traders hoped to secure greater profits and lessen the cost of imports like spices, silk, and porcelain. The control of trade routes by Muslim forces, along with Europe's quest for faster, more efficient, and cost-effective trade, spurred this need. The age of exploration was fueled by several economic, political, and religious motives, including the spread of Christianity, searching for new markets and territories, and breaking free from costly overland trade routes that were also often treacherous due to conflicts such as the Crusades.
These European explorers, like the Portuguese and the Spanish, were driven to improve their navigational technologies and to establish new trade routes that would allow them to reach South and East Asia by an all-water oceanic route, therefore circumventing the Mediterranean route and the taxes imposed by the Ottomans. another essential element of this drive was the spirit of competitiveness and the aspiration to achieve direct trading contacts with civilizations producing luxury goods, as previously done by merchants like Marco Polo. Hence, the exploration was not only about trade but also about gaining knowledge about distant peoples and geography, which could facilitate future trade and cultural exchanges.