With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, there was an urgent need to find alternate trade routes. However, the only way to travel from Europe to India was over land which was a long and expensive trip. Indian commodities such as spices, cotton, semi–precious stones, and perfumes were popular in European countries. Many lands previously unknown to Europeans were discovered during this period. Known as the Age of Discovery, the period of 15 th Century is marked with extensive overseas exploration that emerged as a powerful factor in European culture. India soon became a market for the western countries. The arrival of Portuguese in India encouraged many other European countries to sail eastwards. It was on 20 th May 1498 Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama set foot on the west coast of India. Vasco da Gama sailed south and east and found what the others were looking for. While Christopher Columbus sailed west, looking for the India.

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