The primary goal of the Age of Exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries was to expand trade routes and discover new lands. European powers, driven by the pursuit of wealth, resources, and territorial expansion, sought new maritime routes to Asia for coveted goods such as spices and silk. This era witnessed expeditions led by explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan. Their discoveries not only transformed global trade but also facilitated the exchange of cultures, ideas, and technologies, shaping the modern world.