Transatlantic Encounters European exploration and colonization of the New World affected the peoples of the Americas greatly. The reason why there are barely any South American natives still alive today was caused by the insatiability greed for land/gold by the European explorers. Cortez's annihilation of the Aztec Empire, Pizarro destruction of the Inca Empire, and the disease epidemics spread from the white settlers, brought deaths to thousands of the aboriginal people. One major blow …showed first 75 words of 438 total…

…showed last 75 words of 438 total…of what? The expense for thousands of natives' lives was the discovery of North and South America. Cortez's decimation of the Aztec Empire, Pizarro's eradication of the Inca Empire, and the deadly spread of disease all contributed to the fact that hardly any natives survived the Age of Exploration. The question really boils down to this; was the loss of thousands of lives and various cultures/religions worth the discovery of North and South America?