What were the factors that led to and encouraged the discovery, exploration, and colonization of the new world

Question

What were the factors that led to and encouraged the discovery,exploration, and colonization of the New World. Can you please answer this for me?

Answer 1

1. Religion - Europeans coming to the New World believed they came with a divine mission to spread the Christian faith to the Indians.
2. Mercantilism - the idea that the purpose of New World colonies was to provide economic benefits to the mother country, both as a source of natural resources and as a market for manufactured goods.
3. Technology - improvements in ship design and navigation made it easier to travel long distances.