While I know the Spanish left Europe to go find the Aztec gold and which they did, but I don’t know about the other Countries
The route they took was around the southern tip of Africa, and the first explorer to get there was Marco Polo.
Yes Franklin's cartoon of join or die was very effective. It had a snake that had been cut into eighths and each segment represented colonies of America. Benjamin Franklin editorial game under America's “United colonies” showing an urge to join against the British during the Revolutionary war.
8 Cuts of the snake show the separated colonies and it was a clear depiction for those colonies to join in order to make a difference in power.
It came across as a great persuasion and influence them to get organized to fight against outside enemies. The political cartoon meant a great deal in combining people against enemies.
