Fundamental factors that drew European exploration, conquest, and settlement were trade, resources, and expansion. The whole purpose of Christopher Columbus traveling over seas was to find new trade routes to Asia, but ending up accidentally "discovering" the New World. With the news of discovering the New World, people from Europe and Spain have begun to sail and conquer and claim territory nearly killing off the inhabitants of the New World. Conquering these already discovered lands means countries like Spain and England could expand further west of the hemisphere. With claiming new territory, the Europeans found new foods and lands to dig up gold. Giving the new comers an abundant of amount of resources to live and trade with.