Final answer:
The Age of Discovery was a period characterized by European exploration driven by the motives of 'God, glory, and gold'. These explorations sought new trade routes and resources, aimed at spreading Christianity, and were motivated by ambitions of national glory and wealth. Spain and Portugal led these expeditions, which resulted in far-reaching consequences, including the development of global trade networks and colonial empires.
Step-by-step explanation:
Motives for European Exploration during the Age of Discovery
The primary motives for European exploration during the Age of Discovery can be distilled into the quest for 'God, glory, and gold'. Spain and Portugal, two leading nations of this era, were driven by a religious zeal to spread Christianity and make converts as well as reclaim territory from Muslim control. The aspiration for territorial expansion was motivated by the desire to find new trade routes and resources, particularly to bypass the expensive and slow Silk Road dominated by Muslim middlemen, and to establish new markets, thereby lowering the cost of cherished goods such as spices and silk.
Explorers were supported and outfitted by their sovereigns to not only enhance national wealth but also to bring glory to their homeland. Innovation in navigation, coupled with a drive to escape local mundanities and seek adventure, propelled mariners into uncharted waters, ultimately leading to the discovery of new lands and the ushering in of the first global era where the world became interconnected. The Age of Discovery set the stage for the rise of European colonialism and the modern-day world order of developed and developing nations.
Portugal and Spain took the lead in exploration, leveraging their geographic location and advances in shipbuilding, and this initiative was followed by other European nations hungry for expansion and economic advantage. The consequences of this era were vast, including the tragic establishment and utilization of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in response to labor shortages in the New World.