Question

Name the first European country to discover new sea routes to India ____________.
A) England
B) France
C) Holland
D) Portugal

Answer 1

Hint: In 1453, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the capture of Constantinople, it became difficult for the Europeans to trade with India via a land route. Hence, they searched for a new sea route.

Complete Answer:
In 1498, Vasco da Gama of Portugal discovered a new sea route via the Cape of Good Hope to India. It was the first recorded trip directly from Europe to India via the Cape of Good Hope made by the Portuguese. It was undertaken during the reign of King Manuel I in 1495–1499 under the command of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

It was considered one of the most remarkable voyages of the Age of Discovery; it initiated the Portuguese maritime and trade presence in Kerala and the Indian Ocean. In 1501 AD, Vasco da Gama returned to India. Subsequently, Portugal established its trading settlements at Daman & Diu, Goa, and Cochin. Portuguese were thus the first Europeans to start trade with India. After Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French entered India.

Thus, option (D) is correct.

Note:
The European Age of Discovery started with the Portuguese navigators, where Prince Henry the Navigator started a maritime school in Portugal. Portugal developed the most advanced ships which included the Galleon, the Caravel, and the Carrack as the result of the scientific and technical discoveries because of which for the first time in history maritime navigation was possible. This led the Portuguese Kingdom to discover and map most of the Globe, and find seas routes as far as the East and West, such as the remarkable voyage to find the sea route to India.