Wanderlust World Wanderlust World When Spanish conquistadores and explorers crossed the Atlantic in the 16th century, they were driven by a mix of material ambition, imperial duty, and personal adventure.
The lure of precious metals was paramount. Legends of El Dorado and the real riches of the Aztec and Inca empires fueled expeditions that stripped vast quantities of bullion for the Spanish Crown.
Territorial expansion was a strategic imperative. Claiming vast territories—Mexico, Peru, New Granada, Río de la Plata—extended Spanish hegemony and provided estates (encomiendas, later haciendas) for settlers.
The Requerimiento and papal bulls mandated evangelization. Missionaries (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits) accompanied expeditions, often using coercion to baptize Indigenous peoples and suppress native religions.
Many explorers—Cortés, Pizarro, Coronado, de Soto—were younger sons of nobility seeking fame, fortune, and royal favor. The unknown continents offered a stage for personal legend.
These motives intertwined, producing a colonial order built on extraction, evangelization, and exploitation—whose consequences still shape Latin America today.