In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed west in hope of reaching the east coast of Asia. Instead, he landed in, what we call today, the Bahamas. This European explorer was only one of many that sailed to different parts of the world to discover new trade routes and new lands. This time, known as the Age of Exploration, was brought about by the high demands for Asian goods in Europe and the need for quicker trade routes to Asia for these goods.

These Asian goods, such as cinnamon, cloves, and pepper, were going through a type of "trade chain." The prices increased as the Asian goods went through this "chain" into Europe. The price rose each time a new merchant received these rare spices in the chain of merchants. European rulers wanted to gain faster access to the many Asian spices and their prayers were answered. Many adventurous sailors, most...