Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand paid for exploration to cross the Atlantic Ocean because they wanted to...
Find a new route to trade with the Asian nation
conquer the Caribbean Islands
Build on existing trade relationships in the Western Hemisphere
Showing that they can use Portegese Sailing technoloigies
The correct answer is:
Find a new route to trade with the Asian nation.
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain sponsored the exploration of Christopher Columbus in order to find a new sea route to trade with the Asian nations. At that time, the Europeans were seeking a direct route to the valuable spices and goods of Asia, which were in high demand in Europe. The existing overland routes were controlled by the Ottoman Empire and were both costly and dangerous. Therefore, the Spanish monarchs hoped that by funding the exploration of new routes across the Atlantic Ocean, they could establish direct trade connections with the lucrative markets of Asia.
Find a new route to trade with the Asian nation
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand paid for exploration to cross the Atlantic Ocean primarily because they wanted to find a new route to trade with Asian nations. To understand why they had this goal, we need to look at the historical context.
During the 15th century, Europe was experiencing a period of economic prosperity known as the Renaissance. This led to an increased demand for exotic goods and spices from the East, particularly from Asia. However, the existing trade routes, mainly controlled by the Ottoman Empire, were long and dangerous, making the cost of these goods extremely high.
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain wanted to find a more direct and less expensive way to access Asian goods. They believed that if they could discover a new route across the Atlantic and establish trade connections with Asian nations, their kingdom would benefit economically. This would allow them to bypass the Ottoman-controlled trade routes and reduce the cost of these valuable commodities.
While conquest of the Caribbean islands was a byproduct of their exploration, it was not the primary motivation. The Spanish monarchs did eventually establish colonies and exploit resources in the New World, but this was not their initial purpose.
Additionally, although Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand sought to expand their kingdom's influence, their exploration was not necessarily about building on existing trade relationships in the Western Hemisphere. Rather, they wanted to forge new connections with Asian nations directly.
Lastly, while Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand were aware of Portuguese sailing technologies, their primary objective was not to showcase their ability to use these technologies. Instead, they aimed to find a new trade route and reduce the costs associated with obtaining Asian goods.
In summary, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand funded exploration to cross the Atlantic Ocean primarily to find a new and more direct route to trade with Asian nations, aiming to bypass the Ottoman-controlled trade routes and reduce the cost of valuable commodities from the East.