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Gold: European Economies During The Age Of Discovery

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Gold
Though gold and silver were vital to European economies during the Age of Discovery, the continent had few natural sources of either. When Columbus reported that his newly found lands had deposits of precious metals, finding mineral currency became an incentive for further exploration and conquests, especially for Spain. In their quest for gold and silver for the Spanish crown, conquistadors Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro brutally put an end to the Aztec and the Inca empires, respectively. Gold was also the driving force behind Juan Ponce de Leon's exploration of what is now Puerto Rico.
The Age of Discovery coincided with the Renaissance and was therefore motivated in part by scientific curiosity about the world beyond Europe. Moreover,
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