Factors That Led To European Exploration

1) Many sailing advances and desires led to European Exploration. The sailing advances in technology include the caravel, this design of triangular sails helped sailors to sail effectively against the wind. More advancements include the astrolabe, which helped sailors to better determine their location at sea, the magnetic compass, which allowed sailors to more accurately track direction, and cartography, the science of making maps. Additionally, the desire for money, more land, and spreading Christianity led to European Exploration. Europeans desired "God, glory, and gold". These sailing technological advancements and desires for money, land, and spreading religion all led to European Exploration.

2) The steps taken that led to Portugal's
The first, Portugal, moved throughout the Indian Ocean setting up their trading empire. They took control of the spice trade form Muslim merchants (did this by defeating a Muslim fleet off the coast of India), built a fort at Hormuz, took control over the straits of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, helped stop Muslim traders from reaching India, captured Goa (port city on India's west coast), sailed farther east to Indonesia (East Indies), attacked and captured the city of Malacca on the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, gained control of the Strait of Malacca, gained control of the Moluccas (had so many spices-became Spice Islands), and broke the Muslim-Italian domination on trade from the East. Next, a Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan set sail to the Philippines, Spain then claimed the islands and settled in 1565. Then, the English and Dutch began to compete with Portugal's rule over the Indian Ocean trade. The Dutch Republic (Netherlands) had the largest navy and the pressure from the Dutch and the English's ships got rid of Portugal from the Indian Ocean trade. The two countries then battled it out for complete dominance. Both had an East India Company to establish and direct trade throughout Asia, but the Dutch's was richer and more powerful. The Dutch, as a result, drove out the English and gained rule over the area. The Dutch then made their trading headquarters at Batavia on the island of Java and expanded west to take over many nearby islands. Also, the Dutch captured the port of Malacca and the valuable Spice Islands from Portugal. Through the 1600s, the Dutch gained more control over the Indian Ocean trade, and the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, became a leading commercial center because all of the goods from the East. By 1700, the Dutch ruled much of Indonesia, had trading posts in many Asian countries, and ruled over the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip