Explain the developments in europe and africa that led to columbus's voyage to america.

European powers were running out of places to colonize in africa, while trade in East Asia was becoming more and more profitable, but the cost in time and money of traveling all the way around africa and through the india ocean (or the long trek down the silk road) was hampering European profits off of trading. So the Spanish sent Columbus to find a shorter root to Asia. Columbus didn't set out looking for America, it was just a happy accident.