Final answer:
European merchants and explorers turned to the sea to bypass costly and dangerous land routes, to directly access the riches of Asia, and to spread religion and expand trade. The fall of Constantinople and the subsequent experience of the Crusades contributed to a European demand for Eastern goods that led to maritime exploration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Merchants and explorers were driven to the sea by a combination of factors. The fall of Constantinople in 1453, for example, forced Europeans to deal with Muslim middlemen to access eastern goods, stimulating the quest for an all-water route to Asia. Advances in navigational technology, alongside a thirst for wealth and religious spread, catalyzed this maritime exploration. The Portuguese led the charge, exploring the African coast and finding a sea route to India, eventually reaching the Americas as well.
Merchants had long sought riches from trade on the Silk Road, but land routes were slow, costly, and often dangerous due to robbers and high taxation by middlemen. The lucrative trade in silk, spices, and porcelain, exemplified by Venice's prosperity, created a European demand for direct sea routes to Asia. This need was intensified by reports of the opulence in India and the success of the Portuguese merchants.
Despite the allure of the Silk Road, overland travel was rife with dangers, from piracy to empires making the land route more stable yet equally treacherous. The holy Crusades also provided Europeans with a taste of Eastern luxuries, fostering an appetite for these goods at home and further spurring maritime exploration. By seeking new routes and continuing trade growth, these maritime endeavors ultimately set the stage for Europe's Age of Exploration and the later establishment of global trade networks.