The driving force behind European exploration and colonization during the Age of Discovery was the quest for new trade routes and resources. European powers sought to access valuable goods, such as spices, gold, and silver, leading to expeditions across the globe. Advances in navigation and shipbuilding enabled explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama to travel to unknown territories. This period established vast colonial empires, facilitated cultural exchanges, and had lasting effects on global trade systems, often resulting in the exploitation and displacement of indigenous peoples.