Before Europeans ushered in the age of exploration, curious sailors sometimes told stories of distant lands, but everyone in their country of origin did not know much about the expansion of continents between Asia. and Europe. Europeans had not even begun to think that cultivated Native American civilizations were thriving in different parts of the world. In late 1492, several European explorers searched the "unknown" Americas, trying to find inexpensive and fast sea routes to the Far East. At the same time, more powerful central governments began to rise, financing European expeditions, which they believed could bring them profit. When explorers began to sail all over the world, they began to claim lands in the New World for their countries, sparking a spillover of European colonization and conquest of the Western Hemisphere. At the beginning of the 15th century, the Age of Discovery took off. This era can be described as a time when adventurous sailors set out on ships in search of new trade routes, new partners to sell their trade to, and profitable goods with which to return home. Additionally, many explorers simply wanted to explore the ocean and gain more information about the world around them. Whatever their reasons, the knowledge acquired during this period contributed significantly to the progress of science and technology. This has greatly helped shape the developments and ambition to continue the progression of exploration, the expansion of territory and new methods of creativity to improve knowledge of the world. The first European explorers wanted to open up to the world and discover new sea routes. Although, more often than not, they did not have the funding for a ship, supplies and crew that...... middle of paper ...... voyage to reach their destination, were highly sought after during this period. period. The arduous journeys these men made across the sea were astonishing at the time. Throughout the Age of Exploration, many people wanted to improve their navigational abilities, for example Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first to circumnavigate the Earth. Many other important achievements were made during this period. Ancient technologies were adapted to become valuable tools in discoveries that helped make navigational voyages more successful. The honored explorers and cartographers represented this period by demonstrating hard work in improving travel, cartography and technology. Through this, he paved the way for necessary trade routes and land expansion. Today, these advancements have only gotten better and are still helping explorers around the world navigate the world..