Final answer:
Portugal was the first European nation to begin voyages of exploration along the coast of Africa, driven by Prince Henry the Navigator's ambition and the country's desire to find wealth and trade routes to India. Portuguese explorers established trade links and a foothold in the slave trade, setting a precedent for other European nations to follow.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first European nation to send out voyages of exploration down the coast of Africa was Portugal. Spearheaded by Prince Henry the Navigator in the 1400s, Portuguese explorers like Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco de Gama found new sea routes to India by sailing around the southern tip of Africa, thereby establishing a foundation for Portugal's trade empire.
In their quest for wealth and to bypass Muslim middlemen after the fall of Constantinople, the Portuguese looked to Africa for gold and later established a foothold in the slave trade. They also set up citadels along the African coast, such as the fortress of Elmina, and forged relationships with African kingdoms like Benin and Kongo. Through these efforts, they aimed to access the continent's resources, which led to establishing trade monopolies sanctioned by documents like the Romanus Pontifex.
Thus, the Portuguese were pioneers in advancing European maritime exploration and bridging the commercial gap between Europe and Asia, as well as Africa and the Americas. This set the stage for other European nations, such as Spain, England, and France, to pursue their own explorations and establish trade routes and colonies across the globe.