Was trade or conquest the purpose of European travel

Answer: Both are reasons for European travel, and if we can put curiosity on the list.

Explanation:

We will start this time out of curiosity. Man is a naturally curious being, so a logical need for research has arisen. With the development of the technique, the emergence of compasses, the development of cartography, the man finally dared to travel into the unknown. This time, he had a good foundation for such an endeavour. However, as Europeans progressed and discovered new areas, so did their greed and desire to make money.

This is why strong overseas trade is developing, newly conquered territories are being exploited, and resources are ending up in European markets, which is filling the pockets of colonizers. In these circumstances, there was also a need to conquer some areas, and this happened in the form of colonial settlements that Europeans formed around the world to control the newly conquered territories fully.