what drove the Europeans to exploration?

Question

This happened in the Christopher Columbus days

Answer 1

The short answer is money or commerce.  Many riches where imported to Europe from Asia such as Silk, Tea, and spices.  The trade route was over land via the Middle east and these good were very expensive.  Columbus specifically was looking for a sea route to India.  He traveled west because he figured out the Earth was round, but he miscalculated exactly how big the Earth really was.  He figured that it would be shorter than traveling south around Africa but I also believe in his time Europeans did not know how far down Africa extended.