Which two countries started exploring north america soon after christopher columbus’s journey to the new world?
portugal
germany
france
england
the netherlands

The two countries are France and England.

King Francis I from France contracted the Italian mariner Giovanni da Verrazano to sail in western direction to find a route to China. He found North American lands in 1524. The first settlement called New France was founded in 1534 after Jacques Cartier planted a cross in the Gaspé Peninsula and claimed in the name of King Francis I.

Giovanni Caboto, also known as John Cabot, an Italian mariner saw the fame of Columbus after his return to Valencia. John Cabot contacted the English King Henry VII because he wanted to find the Northway Passage to China and be better than Columbus. At the end of the 15th century, the English King Henry VII hired John Cabot to find the Northwest Passage to Asia. He was the first, who sailed behalf of England in a westward direction to find a Northwest Passage to Asia in 1497. He arrived at the island Newfoundland. He discovered that the sea is full of cod. For a long time after this discovery, the main purpose of the British fleet was primary fishing.