The search for new routes was based on the fact that the Silk Road was controlled by the Ottoman Empire, which was an impediment to European commercial interests, and other Eastern trade routes were not available to the Europeans due to Muslim control.
Uute teede otsimine põhines asjaolul, et Siiditee oli Osmanite riigi kontrolli all, mis oli takistuseks Euroopa ärihuvidele, ja muud idakaubateed ei olnud moslemite kontrolli tõttu eurooplastele kättesaadavad.