The Age Of Exploration: The Space Age

Exploration Throughout time, human beings have been determined to explore new locations, whether they were located on planet Earth or thousands of miles away in outer space. Curiosity was not the only reason for these explorations. There are various other motivational reasons which leads human beings to explore the unknown. A period known as the Age of Exploration, blossomed early in the 15th century. The Age of Exploration was a time period where European nations began to explore the world in search for trading routes. While looking for new trading routes, many explorers discovered new land that was unknown to the European countries. For example, Christopher Columbus was searching for a sea route to India but instead he encountered the Americas

Later, in the mid 1900’s, a time period known as the Space Age emerged. The Space Age was a period of time where nations began to grow interested to explore outer space and to create new space technology. An event that was very memorable and that sparked the beginning of the Space Age was when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite to outer space. The ongoing reasons that motivated people and nations to explore are to gain knowledge, to spread religion, and to gain riches.

To begin with, people and nations are constantly driven to explore the unknown because of man’s thirst to gain more and more knowledge. When a man first had the idea to go into space and explore the moon, everyone either laughed at the idea or called the man who came up with the idea foolish and crazy. But as time went by, scientists began to think that it would actually be incredible to explore the

European nations had a desire for goods such as: gold, jewels, and spices, so they could improve their economy. Their desire for spices was stimulated when Marco Polo, an Italian, traveled from Italy to China and brought back Chinese culture and goods. Spices were important because they were used to preserve food and they added flavor to various meats. European nations explored in order to find new trade routes and ultimately trade with Asian countries. In “The Ocean Adventures,” Christopher Farman writes, “The Portuguese had many motivations to explore…they were…searching for wealth through trade” (Doc.K). Christopher Farman clearly states that a motivational reason for exploration was to gain riches by trade. A letter to Admiral Santangel, written by Christopher Columbus, states, “their Highnesses may see that I shall give them all the gold they require, if they will give me…spices…and cotton” (Doc.7). The excerpt from the letter written by Christopher Columbus clearly proves that nations sent explorers to discover new land in order to increase their economy by gaining spices and other goods. By gaining wealth an empire could gain economic advantages over other countries. European nations were eager to gain wealth, which led them to explore the unknown in order to obtain goods from new parts from the