What was the main goal for most of the early explorers to America? find a water route to the East discover new worlds and peoples establish new trade routes

The correct answer is find a water route to the East

They believed that since the world is round that they could reach the east, places like China and India, if they went westwards. They didn't know that the Americas existed and many believed that the earth was either much smaller or that only a huge body of water was found in that area. This is why they believed that they had reached India when they reached the Americas.