Why Spain Turned to Exploration

In the late 1400s, Spain emerged as one of the most powerful nations in Europe. After uniting under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Spain sought new ways to increase wealth and influence. At this time, valuable goods such as spices, silk, and gold were traded along long, dangerous land routes that stretched across Asia. When Portugal found a sea route around Africa, Spain began looking for its own route to the riches of Asia. This search led to some of the most famous voyages in history—voyages that would bring Spain to the continents we now call the Americas.

Christopher Columbus and the “New World”

Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator who believed he could reach Asia faster by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1492, Spain agreed to sponsor his journey. Although Columbus never reached Asia, he landed in the Caribbean and encountered lands and peoples unknown to Europeans. Columbus made four voyages in total and opened the door for Spain to explore, conquer, and settle vast new territories. These discoveries changed world history and began a period of rapid Spanish expansion.

Conquistadors and the Search for Wealth

After Columbus, many Spanish explorers—known as conquistadors—traveled to the New World seeking gold, land, and glory. Hernán Cortés led an expedition to Mexico in 1519 and defeated the Aztec Empire. A few years later, Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in South America. These victories brought enormous wealth to Spain, including gold, silver, and new farmland. However, they also resulted in the destruction of Indigenous civilizations, the spread of disease, and the loss of traditional cultures.

Francisco Pizzaro

Other Spanish explorers also played major roles in expanding Spain’s reach in the New World. Juan Ponce de León explored the Caribbean and became the first known European to land in Florida in 1513 while searching for new lands and rumored fountains of healing waters. Hernando de Soto led a large expedition through the southeastern region of North America, becoming the first European to cross the Mississippi River and encountering many Native American cultures along the way. Farther west, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado journeyed across the Great Plains and the American Southwest while searching for the legendary “Seven Cities of Gold.” Meanwhile, Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for Spain, led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, proving that the world’s oceans were connected and establishing a route across the Pacific. Although these explorers did not always find the treasures they hoped for, their journeys greatly expanded European knowledge of Earth’s geography and the many Indigenous peoples who lived throughout the Americas.

The Fountain of Youth (1546) Lucas Cranach the Elder

Impact on the Americas and the World

Spanish exploration had long-lasting consequences. Spain created a vast empire stretching from modern-day California through Central America and deep into South America. The Spanish introduced their language, religion, and customs throughout these regions. At the same time, the Columbian Exchange began—a massive transfer of plants, animals, ideas, and diseases between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. While Spain gained great wealth and power, Indigenous peoples suffered from warfare, forced labor, and deadly diseases brought by Europeans. Spanish exploration dramatically reshaped the world, for better and for worse, and helped start the global Age of Exploration.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Spain want to explore and find new trade routes?
2. How did Columbus’s voyages change Europe’s understanding of the world?
3. What were the goals of the conquistadors in the New World?
4. How did Spanish exploration affect Indigenous peoples of the Americas?

Glossary

• Conquistador – A Spanish explorer and soldier who conquered land for Spain.
• Columbian Exchange – The transfer of plants, animals, cultures, and diseases between the Old World and the New World.
• Empire – A group of territories or peoples ruled by a single powerful nation or leader.
• Indigenous – The original people living in a region before outside settlers arrive.
• Navigator – A person who plans and directs the course of a ship.