Which of the Following Was a Reason That Portugal,Spain,France,and Britain

Which of the following was a reason that Portugal,Spain,France,and Britain were the first to expand into the New World?

A) They had a long tradition of exploring distant lands by boat.
B) They were on the Atlantic coast and were closer to the Americas.
C) They believed in ancient legends of a lost world across the ocean.
D) They lands lacked iron,which drove them to search for deposits.