The Stories of Marco Polo
Polo was a fourteenth-century Italian who had travelled to China and wrote about the great wealth and incredible things he had seen. His stories made people want to see these wonders for themselves.
New Trade Routes
The trade in silks and spices from the East was very profitable. After the Black Death, Europe's population grew rapidly and became wealthier. Explorers and traders could grow very rich if they could find ways to get goods to Europe more quickly.
The Fall of Constantinople
The Great Silk Road was the main overland route for spices and other goods from the East to reach Europe. It was cut off in 1453 when the Turks conquered Constantinople. New routes between Europe and Asia were needed.