...people who have heard about the Aztecs and their empire, but are they aware what truly brought the Aztec civilization to a screeching halt? Among other things the Conquistadors had the largest influence in the downfall of the Aztec Empire. According to a well-known historical anthropologist by the name of Ross Hassig the conquest to Mexico (which was where the Aztecs lived) has captured historians' interest for centuries and the expedition has undergone relentless investigation. The conquistadors took over the Aztec Empire which became known as Mexico, and later became under Spain's control. Since the Conquistadors were from a different civilized part of the world, they had advanced weaponry to aid them in the great feat. Not only did the Spanish, or better known as conquistadors, bring unknown weapons they also brought unknown diseases which was a detriment to the fall of the Aztec Empire. Spain sent conquistadors to Mexico to expand their empire and Herman Cortes was ultimately considered the Gran Conquistador since it was his expedition that led to the conquest of Mexico and the fall of the Aztecs (Levy, 332). Cortes arrived on the shores of Mexico with an army of conquistadors with the intent to expand the Spanish empire. On his journey he schemed to covert the native inhabitants to Catholicism and carry of a fortune of gold, of course the only thing that stood in his way were the Aztecs. Tenochtitlan, the city in which the Aztecs resided, was where Cortes met his...
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...colonies, descended from the original French settlers of the southern United States, especially Louisiana. II. General Identifications: 1. Conquistadors- A conqueror, the 16-century Spanish soldiers who defeated Indian civilizations of Central America. 2. Sapa Inca- the Inca was the powerful emperor and leader of the Inca people, which basically means emperor. 3. Cannibal Law 1503- In 1503 Queen Isabella of Spain, created a law that prohibited the arrest or capture of her new children stating further that, no harm or evil was permitted against their person or possessions. 4. Royal Fifth- An old royal tax that reserves to monarch for metals acquired by subjects as treasure or extracted mining, instituted in Muslim states. III. Specific Identifications: 1. Hernan Cortes- Spanish conquistador, who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico, led an expedition and brought large portions of mainland Mexico. 2. Hernando De Soto- Spanish explorer and conquistador while leading the first European expedition into territory of the modern-day United State. 3. Montezuma II- Last Aztec emperor in Mexico and was overthrown and killed by Hernando Cortés. 4. Francisco Pizarro- who conquered the Inca Empire or what is now called Peru or founded the city of Lima. 5. Ferdinand & Isabel- Known for funding conquistadors to expand their empire overseas or uniting disparate kingdoms into what eventually became modern Spain. They were a religious couple in a since...
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...susceptible to European diseases. Each of these reasons will be discussed further in the following paragraphs. Native Americans had poor political skills due to the large number of tribes. One example of this is the Aztecs which a lot of political strife within their tribe which raised competitiveness that increased internal conflict and thus ended with and unstable political system. A Spanish conquistador named Hernan Cortes took note of this and created alliances with enemy tribes of the Aztecs who were looking to escape slavery. For these reasons the America Natives were extremely fragmented whereas the European adventures came as a united front against them. In addition to the poor politics of the native Americans, they also lacked the resources to stand up to the European adventures, The Aztecs did not have cattle and horses integrated into waging attacks or carrying supplies. They fought their battles on foot and hand carried any supplies they needed while the Spanish forces had a cavalry from which they fought. This alone caused many Native American casualties and made war with the European's impossible. Additionally, the European's had more advanced weaponry like crossbows, guns, and steel tipped arrows. On the other hand the Aztecs used obsidian and copper tipped spears and arrows which were completely ineffective against the metal armors of the Europeans. The advanced weaponry of the Europeans was too much for the antiquated weapons and cotton armor...
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...In the years between 1519 and 1540, conquistadores invaded the Americas and ruined the lives of many, if not all, Native Americans who lived in the New World during that time period. According to “Makers of America: The Spanish Conquistadores”, a conquistador is someone from Spain who traveled to the New World in search of God, gold, and glory (18-19). The name conquistadores translates into “conquerors” in Spanish. The conquistadores claimed all the land from Colorado to Argentina in only a mere fifty years after Columbus’s discovery of the New World (Makers of America: The Spanish Conquistadores 18-19). Although others may argue that conquistadores should be named heroes for exploring the New World, it is important to remember that conquistadores...
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...topic in the second chapter of US History through 1877 was a good starting point to keep my attention because it is something that I have been fascinated with beforehand. I used the artwork from this chapter because it is beautiful and seems to tell an excellent story of migration and the survival skills that were needed in this day in age. I researched more about the Spanish conquistador and was able to read on "Came Men on Horses: The Conquistador Expeditions of Francisco Vazquez de Coronado and Don Juan de Onate". This book speaks of any myths that may have been written or spoken of about the way the conquest of America. The Spanish was the first Europeans to enter the America Southwest. Stories about the city of Gold is what lured in a lot of people in hopes of riches. The conquistadors were fighting the decision to search for the city of gold or not. They did not want to have the burden on their shoulders of not attempting to search for it, and someone else find it if it deemed to be true. There were seven cities that were expected to contain gold for the conquistadors to search out. The conquistadors depended on navigation when it came to their needs of survival. This would be of great service to them when it comes to finding their way to their destination and making it back home safe, their distance traveled. Not knowing where they were going makes me appreciate the technology that we have now and the fact that we know what the world looks like. The navigation that...
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...Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador that caused the fall of the Aztec empire in the 16th century with intentions of seeking land for the Spanish. It’s evident that 3 factors worked to his advantage against the Aztec as he conquered them and there king Montezuma with relative ease in the years of 1519-1521. These are the occupant of indigenous interpreter and allies, the Spanish advanced weapons and armour and the foreign diseases. Those elements assisted Cortes conquer the Aztecs and making major historical events that changed the world. One of the biggest things that assisted Cortes conquer Tenochtitlan would be his occupant of indigenous interpreters and allies. Cortes arrived in Mexico in 1519 without any sort of knowledge of their...
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...Drummond History of World Civilizations Dr. Israel December 9, 2014 Horrible Aztecs or Hypocritical Spaniards? Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, many other “explorers” sought to conquer the various native tribes and exploit the resources the Americas had to offer. When discovered by the European explorers, it was only a matter of time the not-so-great- Spanish conquistadors arrived with their plans to take over the Americas – even if it meant generating rumors and propaganda about how horrible the Aztecs were. The conquistadors would bring back reports to Europe saying the Aztecs were a brutal, human sacrificing cult who needed to be destroyed. While there is some archeological evidence to back up these claims, the Spanish strongly exaggerated the truth about such to coerce the Christians in Western Europe into thinking their invasion of the Americas was okay. Upon arriving in Mexico, Hernando Cortes, a famous Spanish Explorer who unbeknownst to many gave California its name, was an enslaver and murderer of not only the Aztecs, but his own people as well. “He was known to dismantle his own ships in an effort to force his followers had no choice but to follow him inland (Jaffee).”1 The sheer self-righteousness of he and his followers, none can fathom. At first, Cortes was mistakenly thought to be “Quetzalcoatl,” or the “bearded god of the Aztecs” because of his light skin and beard. On the contrary, Cortes is nothing close to a “winged...
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...of Mexico. In 1519 Hernan Cortes and his men landed in Tenochtitlan in search of power and wealth. Word quickly spread to the king, Montezuma. He heard that men had arrived from a faraway land with ‘sticks that spit fire and deer as big as houses’ had landed on the coast. This panicked the Aztec people as they believed in a fatalistic religion that predicted that Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of war, would return in that exact year to punish them. This set up an instant tension between the two oppositions that meant Cortes would have to lead his men if they were going to conquer this land in the name of God. It’s obvious that Cortes was a very confident and cunning man, as he disobeyed the rulings of the Governor of Cuba and went unbeknownst to the current ruler of Spain, Charles V. This put a huge amount of pressure on Cortes because he either succeeded in his campaign for power or he would be sentenced to death. Leading a group of five hundred men into a strange and unknown land was never going to be a simple task but the characteristics of Cortes’ leadership were a driving force in the conquest of Mexico. This becomes evident from the examination of such contemporary sources as ‘Conquistadors’ by Michael Wood and letters from Cortes himself to Charles V that detail the key events of the conquest. As it is clearly shown Cortes was a highly intelligent individual but he was also an opportunist. When he arrived in Tenochtitlan he capitalised on the divisions of the different tribes...
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...Herman Cortes de Monroy y Pizarro Spanish Conquistador (1485 - 2nd Dec, 1547) Herman Cortes who has died aged 62 from pleurisy in Castilleja de La Cuesta Spain, was the most successful conquistador having conquered the Aztec Empire for Spain. No other conquistador has ever surpassed the ruthlessness and destructive power of Cortes. Born and growing up in a non-privileged town called Medellin, Hernan Cortes dreamed of becoming famous and rich, even though his parent (Martin Cortes de Monroy and Catalina Pizarro Altamirano) wanted him to be a lawyer. Following his parents ideology, Cortes attended the University of Salamanca at only the age of 14. However, he failed his law studies and instead followed Diego Velazquez and Diego...
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...There are many differences and similarities of the aztec emperor, Moctezuma, and a spanish conquistador and landowner in Cuba, Hernan Cortés. But first, let us review the story. Hernan cortez was a landowner in cuba. He decided that there was a good possibility that he could get to do something that nobody else could. He wanted to conquer the Aztec Empire. He lands near the aztec empire and their leader, Moctezuma, was scared. He had never seen people that looked or talked like this ever before. He was overwhelmed and thought that Cortés might actually be a god. He was intimidated. Eventually Cortés captured and took over the Aztec Empire. The two men were leaders of their own people. This is a way they were the same. Moctezuma was the leader...
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...Tiburcio Vasquez was born on April 11, 1835 in monterey, Alta California and his dad was Jose Hermenegildo- Vasquez and his mom was Maria Guadalupe Cantua. With a spanish tradition Tiburcio welcome to the family was celebrated big and his nickname St. Tiburtius. Therefore, Tiburcio birthday was always referred as August 11, 1835. And, his great grandfather came to Alta California during the De Anza expedition which was in 1776. Tiburcio was built around 5 to 7 inches tall . His family sent him to school which he was taught in 2 languages which was english and spanish. By the year 1856 Tiburcio was completely influenced by Anastacio Garcia and he was one of the most dangerous bandits in California. By the year 1856, Tiburcio was rustling horses and 1 day a sheriff caught up where he was which was near Newhall and then he was taken to jail and he severed the next 5 years behind the bars in San Quentin prison. Then when tiburcio was released he was caught again and severed 4 years of bloody prison which he has left 20 people dead. After he was released again he has committed many more burglaries, cattle thefts, and highway robberies in Sonoma County in 1866. Then he was capture at a burglary store in Petaluma and he was sent to prison again for the next 3 years. His trademarks was keeping his victims hands behind their back and leaving them faced down in the dust. But, Vasquez remained in the Los Angeles jail for about 9 days. Tiburcio had many requests for interviews by many of...
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...horses that made them appear like god-like half man, half beast warriors, body armor, guns, and steel swords. 2. What is Jared Diamond’s explanation for why the Spanish had advanced to steel swords while Inca’s were still making tools and weapons from bronze? Answer: Because Europe was geographically close to the Fertile Crescent, they inherited the 7,000 years of metal technology that had been developed there. Because they had a diversified society that allowed for specialization, the Spanish devoted time and effort to producing the longest, strongest, sharpest swords possible. 3. How did the battle tactics used by the Spanish conquistadors help the small army defeat the Inca army that outnumbered it by the thousands? Answer: The Spaniards begin by surprising the Incas, firing their guns and coming out of hiding on horseback. As they rode, the conquistadors used their swords to hack, cut, and stab the Incas who were panicking and fleeing rather than standing firm. Had the Incas known more about this style of fighting, they could have been victorious by sheer numbers if they had stood their ground against the cavalry. 4. According to Jared Diamond, what made the Europeans “accidental conquerors”? Answer: Because of their...
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...La Malinche played a crucial role in forming what is presently known as Mexico. During the century XVI the indigenous princess was born into an aristocratic family until she was sold “como un esclava a los aztecas.” Quickly the beauty and intelligence of La Malinche set herself apart from the other slaves. Thus when the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, arrived Malinche was presented as a useful present. Her previous knowledge of the Nahuah and Mayan languages and her rapid proficiency in Spanish made her Cortes’s ideal translator and consultant. La Malinche continuously proved her loyalty throughout the Spanish conquest. Not only did Malinche warn Cortes of possible ambushes (emboscadas) but she also convinced gente to form an alliance against Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Over time, Malinche formed a relationship with Cortes and eventually gave birth to his son. The son of Malinche and Cortes marks beginning of the mestizo race, which dominates the population of Mexico in this day in age. Malinche “fue testigo del fin de una civilizacion y el augue de otra nueva y se convirtió en la madre simbólica del Nuevo group étnico” que shapes Mexico today. The role of La Malinche in the construction of present day Mexico is both revered and condemned. Historically, the consensus was that the traitorous alliance between Malinche and the Spanish conquerors was unforgivable. Recently, however, many have attempted to rewrite the unjust reputation of la “Eva Mexicana...
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...When Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés reached Tenochtitlan in 1519, he discovered a glorious empire that stretched for thousands of miles and contained millions of people. With his eyes set on the empire’s magnificent stone temples, illustrious royal palaces, and grand houses dwarfed by the sacrosanct pyramid, the determined conquistador invested all his efforts in conquering the great Aztec civilization. Fierce Aztec warriors drove Cortés and his army away from Tenochtitlan only to have him return and utterly demolish the empire, taking the city in his own hands only two years after he initially stepped on the Aztec soil. How was it that a motley bunch of Spanish adventurers, never numbering more than four hundred or so, was able to defeat an Amerindian military power on its home ground in the space of two...
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... 2014 Spanish Conquest The Aztec civilization during its peak was the strongest civilization in the western hemisphere. When the Spaniards first came to the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, they could not believe that a civilization so undeveloped in their minds could have been so culturally developed and powerful. As said by the article (Clendinnen1991:79) “the city fell to the combined forces of Cortes and an assortment of Indian “allies”. Indians had tension with the Aztecs, which was learned by the Spaniards and was taken advantage of by full force provoking internal and already existing problems that existed within the two groups of. This exploration of understanding and examining people was what the Spaniards were best at. (Clendinnen1991:66) Those internal and existing are factors to blame for the downfall of the Aztec Empire. The exploration was focused on sources that came from the period such as that of Bernal Diaz Del Castillo and Bernardino de Sahagún, along with the most notable conquistador Cortes that also had a major role to the conquest of the Aztec empire. Although many believe that the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs due to their better weaponry or the epidemic of deadly diseases, there were a great amount of factors, primarily the alliance that Cortes made with the Tlaxcala, which the Spanish used to take advantage of the Aztec people. Many historians argue that the Tlaxcala were already on the verge of a war with the Aztec people and that the Spaniards were...
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