Question
What caused Europeans to seek new trade routes in the 1400s? A. They wanted to travel safely along the Silk Road. B. They hoped to avoid exposure to the Black Death. C. They wanted to gain direct access to Asian markets. D. They thought they could reach their American colonies faster.
Answer
4
(351 Votes)
Fern
Master · Tutor for 5 years
Answer
Option C is the correct answer.
Explanation
## Step 1The problem at hand is a historical question that asks for the primary reason why Europeans began to seek new trade routes in the 1400s. Each option provided represents a potential reason for this exploration effort.## Step 2To solve this problem, we need to consider each option in light of historical context. ## Step 3Option A suggests that Europeans wanted to travel safely along the Silk Road. However, the Silk Road had been in use for centuries and was known to be a dangerous route, but it was not the primary reason for the exploration of new trade routes.## Step 4Option B suggests that Europeans hoped to avoid exposure to the Black Death. However, the Black Death occurred in the 14th century, almost half a century before the Age of Discovery. It did not serve as a motivator for the exploration of new trade routes.## Step 5Option D suggests that Europeans believed they could reach their American colonies faster. However, the existence of the American continents was not known to the Europeans until the late 15th century, the time of Christopher Columbus's expeditions.## Step 6Option C suggests that Europeans wanted to gain direct access to Asian markets. This is historically accurate as the Middle Eastern intermediaries controlled the trade routes between East and West, inflating prices on goods like spices and silk. The Europeans, particularly maritime nations like Portugal and Spain, sought new trade routes to reach Asia directly and break this monopoly.