What condition led the europeans to begin exploring the unknown in the 1400s?

Answer 1

Sugar and Slavery.

Europeans learned about the cultivation and processing of sugarcane from the Muslims during the 1100s. The introduction of sugarcane changed the diet of Europeans, who had formerly used honey and fruit pieces to sweeten their foods. Demand for sugar began to rise steadily. Eventually about 20 percent of all calories consumed in Europe came from sugar.

Europeans set up sugar plantations on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Sicily. These locations, unlike most of Europe, provided the specific climate and type of soil sugarcane needs to grow well. Sugarcane cultivation requires heavy manual labor. the cane is tough and thick and has to be chopped down using heavy knifes. A huge amount of sugarcane has to be cut to produce a pound of sugar. Consequently, plantation owners needed a large labor force. To get people to do the work, they either had to pay very high wages or find a way to force people to do their work without paying them. As a result, the introduction of sugarcane farming encouraged Europeans to use enslaved workers and to enter into the slave trade.