The cause of European exploration and the Columbian Exchange was the desire for new trade routes to Asia and the search for gold, silver, and other valuable resources. European powers, such as Spain, Portugal, England, and France, sought to expand their empires and increase their wealth and power by exploring and colonizing the Americas. The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds that occurred as a result of European exploration and colonization.