“We Spaniards know a sickness of the heart that only gold can cure.” These famous words were said by Hernan Cortez a famous Spanish explorer and one of the greediest men this world has ever seen. He conquered and killed countless natives. But out the of the rubble a new society was born which influenced ours greatly. Most early explorers were not particularly kind to the Native Americans of the New World. But no one can deny that they had major influences on our culture and modern way of life. Hispanic explorers influenced our culture in a variety of ways. The most obvious and important reasons are religion, architecture, and cuisine.

Religion

To begin with, the influence of early Spanish explorers on religion is still evident to this day. In all of the US. But especially in Florida. For example, thirty percent of the Floridian population is Roman Catholic. That’s the religion the Hispanics brought from Spain over five-hundred years ago. This is an immensely important influence because religion impacts everything directly and indirectly. For instance, if the main topic for a political campaign is abortion. Which is a very sensitive political topic. If any certain politician wants to run for governor in Florida and wants to legalize abortion he will have a hard time because Roman Catholics do not agree with abortion. That means most likely 30% of the population right off the bat will vote against that specific candidate.

Architecture

Secondly, architecture was a major way in which the 1500s Spanish explorers influenced our modern day society. They introduced many different characteristics to our homes. For example, they brought with them the concept of patio, which is actually a Spanish word. Also they introduced balcón or as we say in English, balcony. Many modern Floridian homes and buildings show the influence of the old adobe ranch houses and mission buildings constructed by the early Spaniards.

Cuisine

Lastly, the last major influence our Spaniard ancestors gave us is the cuisine we have enjoyed for centuries in this great state. The main courses in Spain in the 1500s was chiefly seafood. They taught the local natives how to cook delicious and traditional Hispanic dishes. Their influence can principally be seen in old towns like St. Augustine where there influence becomes even more apparent especially with food.

Conclusion

There are countless ways Hispanic explorers have influenced our culture and society. From what we eat to how we build our homes and what we believe religiously. There influences extend to more then just religion, architecture, and cuisine. Even though there were greedy and gold hungry explorers they came from a rich culture of tradition which shaped our state and our entire magnificent country.