In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Age of Exploration saw Christopher Columbus stumble upon the Americas and a ship circumnavigate Earth for the first time. While those involved were often driven by curiosity and a lust for fame, the European impetus to explore also had practical economic and religious motives: Portugal, Spain and other countries sought more convenient routes to the luxury markets of the East, new sources of precious metals and opportunities to spread Christianity in the face of Islamic expansions.
