years after Columbus's voyage where he found the Inca Empire 13. \( \begin{array}{l}\text { Aztec Empire in } 1519 \text { and conquered central and southern Mexico } 10 \\ \text { 14. } \\ \text { North Atlantic to Canada in } 1497 \\ \text { 15. Sponsored by England sailed through the } \\ \text { from Portugal in } 1500 \\ \text { 16. Accidentally traveled to South America } \\ \text { passage to the Pacific Ocean. Sailed in rivers in what is now Canado } \\ \text { 17. Started in Mexico and was funded by } \\ \text { Spain. Traveled through Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, Oklahoma's } \\ \text { panhandle, and Kansas }\end{array} \)

After Columbus's famed voyages, in the early 1500s, it was the Spanish conquistadors who truly ventured into South America, uncovering the riches of the Inca Empire in the 1530s, notably exemplified by Pizarro's conquest. This was a dramatic time in history, where European powers raced not just for gold, but for glory and territory, significantly altering the continent's cultural landscape. As for real-world applications, the exploration of these empires shaped modern governance, trade, and cultural exchange across continents. Knowledge of such historical events helps us understand ongoing socio-economic impacts today, from global trade relations to indigenous rights movements, emphasizing that past explorations still resonate in our contemporary world.