Who were explorers that came to America searching for wealth?

Several explorers came to America in search of wealth, including Christopher Columbus, who sought a westward route to Asia and discovered the Caribbean in 1492. Hernán Cortés explored Mexico and conquered the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century, while Francisco Pizarro did the same with the Inca Empire in South America. Other notable figures include John Cabot, who explored parts of North America for England, and Jacques Cartier, who sought riches in the St. Lawrence River region for France.