1. Why was it Portugal, Spain, France, and Britain that first expanded into the new world?
a. These lands had a long tradition of distant exploration.
b. These lands were Muslim.
c. *These lands were on the Atlantic coast.
d. These lands believed in ancient legends of a lost world across the ocean.

The answer is c. These powers were simply closer to the new world, and once they were able to understand and master the consistent wind patterns of the Atlantic, it was much easier for them to go to the Americas than it was for any Asian competitors.