Question

Exploring Text Structure and Relationships of Ideas - Part 5

In the essay you wrote during this lesson, you tied evidence to answer this question: Were these explorers mainly looking for personal gain or trying to advance people’s knowledge of the world?
For this assessment, you are going to narrow your focus. You will write two or three paragraphs answering this question: Did the search for wealth lead to the exploration of the Americas?
To answer this question, you will have to revisit the expeditions of Cortés, Pizarro, and Orellana. However, you will need to look at the information in these sections of the text in a new way. You will need to connect a specific cause (the search of wealth) with a specific effect (the exploration of the Americas).
To make the link from that cause to that effect, you will have to build a bridge of evidence. Use details and additional evidence from pp. 12–19 in the text to create a new Cause-and-Effect Chart. Give the chart the title Causes and Effects of Exploration of the Americas. As before, put causes in the boxes on the left. On the right, write the effect—the exploration of the Americas. Use your graphic organizer as a guide to write your paragraphs.
Plan this opinion piece like you did on the earlier one. Use the Writing Planner worksheet to plan. Be sure to include:
A strong introduction that presents your opinion on the issue,
Strong, well-organized reasons and plenty of good evidence to support them,
Transitions linking evidence,
A conclusion that effectively summarizes the information you have explained,
If you help thanks so much need it badly.

Answer 1

The search for wealth was a primary motivator for explorers like Cortés and Pizarro during the exploration of the Americas, leading to the discovery and colonization of new territories as well as the profound Columbian Exchange.

Step-by-step explanation:

The search for wealth was a significant motivator for the exploration of the Americas, particularly with the expeditions of Spanish explorers like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro. These conquistadors were driven by the promise of riches, the prospect of finding vast amounts of gold and silver, and personal glory. Cortés's conquest of the Aztec Empire and Pizarro's subjugation of the Inca Empire were fueled by the desire to increase their wealth and enhance the Spanish monarchy's treasury.

The impact of this relentless quest was profound, leading not only to the European discovery and subsequent colonization of new lands but also to significant cultural and physical ramifications for both Europeans and indigenous populations. This included the Columbian Exchange—the transfer of crops, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds. The explorers' search for wealth had many intended and unintended consequences, including triggering widespread changes in global trade, ecology, and cultures that still resonate today.

In constructing your essay, consider how you will present a cause-and-effect relationship with clear evidence from historical sources. Your introduction should establish your argument about the role of the search for wealth in exploration. Body paragraphs should elaborate on this with specific examples from Cortés, Pizarro, and other explorers, ensuring that each point connects back to your initial thesis. Lastly, your conclusion should summarize your arguments and emphasize the lasting impacts of these explorations.