| Term | Definition |
| Portuguese Exploration | The explorations of Atlantic islands for fish, seals, whales, timber, and lands to plant wheat. The start of the sugar plantations in the Atlantic. |
| The Lure of Trade | The establishment of trade market routes to Asia. Bubonic Plague reduced trade along the silk roads. New ocean routes were needed and established. |
| Missionary Efforts | Alongside material incentives, the goal of expanding the boundaries of Christianity also drove Europeans into the larger world. Like Buddhism and Muslim, Christianity was a missionary religion. |
| Spreading of Christianity | The goal of spreading Christianity thus became a powerful justification and reinforcement for the more material motives for voyages of exploration. |