One of the main ways in which travel routes today differ from the trade routes of classical era civilizations is that they're far safer, since people have to worry much less about being robbed and/or injured--this is due mostly to government oversight and policing of the routes in question.<span />
The answer is B: The opportunity to expand Spain's territory and spread Christianity.
Spain was eager for new resources of wealth and to spread Christianity on their new lands.
Before the gold rush the west was wild and there were very few people around. The big cities in California were shires with a few hundred citizens
C makes the most sense to me
