Why did Europeans become interested in exploring a direct route to Asia that bypassed the Mediterranean? ?

Question

a) They sought a land free of religious persecution.

b) they wanted direct access to the riches of Asia and desired a crusade against the Muslims.

c) They thought a direct route would allow trader cartographers to make accurate maps of the region.

Answer 1

None of the above.

A. No explanation needed.

B. Two answers that are unrelated; use of 'and' indicates both halves must be true for the answer to be true.  

There were Europeans, including Celts, interested in trade routes to Asia long before there were any Muslims (pre- 700 AD or so).  Later on, in Medieval Europe, many people interested in trade cared nothing for a potential crusade, and vice versa.

C. Silly circular reasoning: let's find a route so map makers can make us maps to get where we already got.

This question needs a time frame in history to make any sense.  Europeans have traded with Asia for thousands of years.  Europe and Asia are part of the same continent and share a nebulous, easy-to-cross border for thousands of miles, without touching the Mediterranean.

If this is about a sea route around Africa, or through the "West Indies," or building the Suez canal (no, that needs the Med), the question should be more specific.  Same thing if by "Asia" you mean some specific part, such as the "Far East."

Answer 2

C. They were looking for trade routes. They had no idea North America exited. They believe sailing west would take them directly to Asia. They already knew land, rugged, and dangerous, existed on the other side of the Mediterranean. They were hoping and looking for a faster, safer trade route to Asia

Answer 3

B--they wanted access to spices and other goods in Asia instead of having to buy them from middlemen

Answer 4

Hans Blix is on target.  They were also looking for a cheaper easier way.  Having to travel across land was hard, slow, and expensive.  A sea route, most believed, would have been much faster, easier, and cheaper.  Of course, we didn't know at the time that there was a whole other hemisphere in the way.  

Answer 5

B, although C is correct too, but you must pick the BEST answer and that is B