Why did european countries want to find a shorter route to the far east

What happened between 1804 and 1815

This photo shows an early mesoamerican structure, specifically from the zapotec culture. what was this structure most likely used for? a.creating terraces for farm fieldsb.practicing religious ceremoniesc.playing a ball game with stone hoopsd.protecting a city from invading armies

What event did not contribute to the start of ww11