The conquistadors had three important motives: treasure, land, and religion. Wealth and personal gain were primary incentives for the conquistadors to face the obstacles that came with spending years on a ship to face thousands of terrifying heathens. It was common knowledge at the time that America was a land of great wealth, so the opportunity to acquire vast amounts of treasure was certainly an excellent motivator. By claiming territory in Peru, the conquistadors were also able to greatly improve Spain’s economic status while also preventing other European states from conquering the area. The environment in Peru was ideal for certain cash crops, and precious metals such as gold and silver were abundant. The conquistadors also wanted to