Religious immigration

The lure of cheap land, religious freedom and the right to

improve themselves with their own hand was very attractive to
those who wished to escape from persecution and poverty.

Stuff. When Marco Polo came home, after 25 years, he brought all kinds
of neat stuff that people wanted, so the merchants looked for ways to
provide the things people wanted. This spurred exploring. The nations
also wanted to expand and get rich. It is costly to be a king and new
money is always needed. New tech also happened to be invented about
this same time that allowed ships to sail better and move faster. Then,
there is always the factor that some people want glory, fame and the to
see what is "there." People like Columbus made deals with the
governments they sailed for that gave them riches and power. Who
could turn that down? 

:In the 1400s, the Europeans wanted to find a trade route to Asia because
their goods (silks, spices, etc.) were getting hard to get; and they did not
want to trade with the Ottoamn Turks because prices were extremely
high. Also, they wanted to find gold, silver, and precious stone. They
also wanted to expand their knowledge of the world. Later, during the
late 1400s to 1500s, they wanted to expand Christianity and find animal
fur.