The initial reason many European explorers sailed to the Americas was to find a new sea route to Asia, particularly to access lucrative trade in spices, silk, and precious metals. Europeans sought to bypass the overland routes controlled by the Ottoman Empire, which made Asian goods expensive and difficult to obtain. By finding a direct sea route, they hoped to reduce costs and increase profits

. This quest for new trade routes was part of broader motivations often summarized as "God, gold, and glory." Europeans aimed to spread Christianity ("God"), acquire wealth through trade and conquest ("gold"), and gain national prestige and personal fame ("glory")

. Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage, sponsored by Spain, was intended to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic. Instead, he encountered the Americas, which were previously unknown to Europeans. This discovery was initially a byproduct of the search for a western route to Asia

. In summary, the primary initial motive was economic-to find a direct and profitable sea route to Asian markets-alongside religious and national ambitions that also drove European exploration to the Americas.