El Dorado Analysis

How does El Dorado and the Flor de la Mar deepen the understanding of the cultural, political, and historical time it was created? During the fifteenth and sixteenth century, exploration and conquest was the main goal of many countries. The world had not yet been explored and some countries hadn’t even been discovered yet. People always seem to want more, more land, more power and more gold. This was the case with both the Flor de la Mar and the lost city of El Dorado. “To possess any amount of gold seems to ignite an insatiable desire to obtain more” (National Geographic, 2014). El Dorado has been sought ever since the Spaniards first hear of its existence. “Lopez described a large city rich in gold, silver and jewels, located in the middle …show more content…
“Alfonzo was saved, the treasure and many young slaves were lost to the waves” (1stminstrel, 2013). His unwise decisions to sail in a storm and to heavily overload the Flor de la Mar caused him to lose one of the biggest collections of riches in history. “A violent storm blew up in the straits of Malacca and the heavily overloaded Flor de la Mar was shipwrecked on the reefs near the straits” (Penny Stock Journal, 2013). He also knew the ship was not seaworthy and was in need of serious repair, it had seen many battles and lasted far longer than any ship of its time. He had four other ships to choose from that were in better shape than the Flor de la Mar. This one man’s mistakes caused a certain part of the past to possibly be lost forever. “It is considered the richest treasure yet to be found…60 tons of gold from the house of the sultan of Malacca” (Penny Stock Journal, …show more content…
The Flor de la Mar has been in the ocean for five hundred and three years, it would be extremely difficult to find. “The current location of the treasure is confused due to the inaccurate maps of the time” (Penny Stock Journal, 2013). It would be an immense task alone to get the artifacts off the ocean floor. The people who find it should be able to keep and do with it as they please as long as they do not destroy it. The ship is worth billions and should be given to the discoverer. “Current Estimated Value: $2.6 billion…gold goblets, silver plate and extensive gold bullion” (1stminstrel, 2013). Also, no nation can claim the wreckage because it is in national waters. The same should happen to El Dorado if found, the discoverer should be able to keep the artifacts of the discovery as long as they do not destroy them. There are no Inca tribes to give it back to so there is no rightful owner left, thus the person who put in everything to finding it should reap the benefits. “The new city was never found, nor any of the gold” (Penny Stock Journal, 2013) and it is very likely this historic mystery will never be