Most European explorers in the Age of Discovery believed they were heading to Asia, specifically to reach the lucrative spice markets of India and the East Indies. They sought a direct sea route to these regions to bypass the overland trade routes controlled by Middle Eastern and North African powers. This quest for a shortcut led to the discovery of new lands, including the Americas, which many explorers initially mistook for parts of Asia.
Spain
Christopher Columbus
America was discovered by many different explorers, most of them of Western European ethnicity.
Atlantic
Christopher Columbus, Hernan Cortez, etc. (there were MANY impotant/famous explorers)
Most of them lived in eithe Portugal or Spain and some in England. There were also Dutch and Italian explorers.
Spain
Spices were the natural resource that the first European explorers most desired. They were highly sought after for their ability to preserve and enhance the flavor of food, and were used as a form of currency in trade.
I don't think they "desired" African slaves. At first many explorers brought back people from places they had visited on their voyages, but most of them died before the explorers could get the new slaves back to europe. So i don't think the African slaves were really targeted, it was just from where the explorers sailed to.
The phrase most associated with European explorers is "For God, Gold, and Glory." This slogan encapsulates their motivations for exploration, which included the desire to spread Christianity, seek wealth through trade and resources, and achieve fame and prestige. These explorers played significant roles in the Age of Discovery, leading to the expansion of European empires and significant cultural exchanges.
because monarchies had the most power out of the all the groups
Most of the early explorers during the Age of Exploration came from Europe. Notable explorers like Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Vasco da Gama were from European countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy.