What was a consequence of seeking water routes to Asia?

• A. Mid 1400s Portugal ran into African societies and began trading slaves
• B. England colonized the Americas
• C. The Silk Road was revived
• D. The Dutch discovered India

Answer: (A)

The push to reach Asia by sea drove Portuguese explorers to sail farther down the African coast and eventually around to India, opening up long-distance trade by sea. As they established ships, forts, and trading posts along Africa, they encountered West African societies and began involving themselves in the slave trade. This direct link between seeking faster maritime routes and contact with African communities is why this outcome fits best: it shows how the search for a sea route to Asia connected Europe with Africa and laid the groundwork for the transatlantic slave trade. The other options describe later or separate developments that aren’t the immediate consequence of that sea-route quest.