During the 1400s, an increase in demand for luxury goods and spices led to a dramatic increase in trade. Merchants traveled all over the world in search of extravagant goods like pepper and gold, and with the help of predictable monsoon winds, the Indian Ocean was the ideal method for traveling and trading. Empires already involved in Indian Ocean trade sought to increase their wealth and display their power over smaller domains. The Ming dynasty, for example, commissioned the imperial eunuch Zheng He to carry out several tribute missions via the Indian Ocean to establish the Chinese presence. At the opposite end of Eurasia, European kingdoms, notably Portugal and Spain, wanted to become involved and ultimately control the lucrative maritime trade. Each hired explorers Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, respectively, on missions to find faster, more easily accessible sea routes to the Indian Ocean. As Europeans realized the true value of trade, subsequent voyages of exploration were motivated by three factors: God, glory, and gold. Ma Huan (aide and interpreter of Zheng He's expeditions), Vasco da Gama, and Christopher Columbus all describe the cultural and religious practices of the locals in their accounts. However, Zheng He respects the people as he attempts to forge political ties with the places he visits, Vasco da Gama recognizes and follows the customs of the people as he attempts to establish business relations with the people, and Christopher Columbus insults the indigenous population while watching. to conquer the lands and enslave the indigenous population. In the excerpt from the travelogue The Global Survey of the Ocean Shores, author Ma Huan carefully observes the inhabitants of Calicut, on the Indian coast. They are... middle of paper ... and perspectives because he thinks they are incapable of forming valid judgments. Although Columbus was only able to find a small amount of gold and spices in the “Indies,” he was able to spread Christianity, convert nonbelievers, and bring glory to the Kingdom of Spain. Unfortunately, his misleading descriptions of the native population led to inaccurate history textbooks in Europe while his discovery of the New World initiated European exploration, colonization, and imperialism. The three explorers, Zheng He, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, try to satisfy their sponsors. » missions as they explore various parts of the world. Although each explorer had different expectations to meet and viewed success in many ways, they all helped increase interactions and establish a wide range of trade networks between the various regions of the world...