What was happening in Spain, England, and France that led to exploration of North America?

Question

What was happening in Spain, England, and France that led to exploration of North America?

Answer 1

Whoa, the answer above may mislead you.  There were no large standing armies of paid soldiers during the Crusades (1095 to 1270 AD) or in these Western European countries in the 1500's.

The English and Dutch were looking for a northwest passage - a way to get to the spice islands of present day Indonesia without sailing around the "Horn" south of South America.  Trade was the main interest of the English, Dutch, and French.  These three countries would grow in power as their wealth from trade increased.

Spain already had an empire in the New World. The Spanish were exploiting silver mines in Mexico and Peru.  They had little interest in North America above Mexico, Florida and New Orleans.

See Paul Kennedy's "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers."

Answer 2

After  the crusades had failed, Each had large standing armies that they could not disban because  the others had these armies.Each was having problems with internal problems and needing to divert money that funded the soliders and  so the y needed to come up with new income. When the new world was discovered there a disire to get the new resources available and to keep the muslim caliphates from establishing  a foothold.