Answer:
Spanish exploration and conquest in America happened because of Christopher Columbus, who discovered America (New World) in 1492. The Spanish were the first to explore and settle in the New World. Their main goal was to generate wealth for the Spanish Empire. After Spaniards found gold and silver in Central America, they started conquering the civilizations of Inca, Aztec and others. Spanish explorers also found Mississippi River, San Salvador, and the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Magellan.
