Christopher Columbus
Second, Columbus wanted to find gold.  Gold was the main kind of money used in Columbus's times.  In his letter to Spain's King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus wrote: “Gold is most excellent; gold is treasure, and [the person] who [has] it does all he wishes to in this world."  This means that someone with gold can do anything he wants to do. Many historians believe that Columbus wanted to become a powerful person  and in order to become powerful, he needed to find gold.