A DEADLY MEETING•Cortes the Conquistador•An unequal fight•Invasion•Fall of the Aztecs

Cortes, the Conquistador

• Hernan Cortes was an adventurous and ambitious young man

• He had heard about the gold brought back by Columbus

• At age 19 he sailed for the “new world’• Cortes arrived on the island of Hispaniola,

present day Dominican Republic and Haiti in 1504

• He was asked to join an expedition to conquer Cuba

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPj4swVZZZM

Cortes, the Conquistador

• The Conquistadors used a formula for their territorial conquests1. An expedition would set out from a recent colony2. After landing in a new region, the Spanish would

try to meet peacefully with the first groups of Indigenous peoples they encountered. Their true aim was to discover which group in the area was most powerful

3. The Spanish would invite the leader of the powerful group to a meeting to exchange gifts. The Spanish would then seize the leader and threaten to kill him unless his followers obeyed their orders

Cortes, the Conquistador

• The Conquistadors used a formula for their territorial conquests4. If they did have to fight, the Spanish would try and

do so on open ground. Their horses, armour and weapons would provide a huge advantage

5. The leader of the expedition would remain as governor of the new colony and his second in command would organize the next expedition. The indigenous people would be forced into slavery

Cortes, the Conquistador

• After the conquest of Cuba, Cortes remained there as second in command to Governor Velasquez

• After eight years, Cortes got Velazquez to finance an expedition to the Yucatan

• Within a few months Cortez had amassed 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 indigenous slaves and 16 horses

• At the last minute Velazquez tried to cancel the expedition fearing Cortez would get all the glory for his discoveries

Cortes, the Conquistador

• Cortes established a town on the coast of Mexico La Villa Rica de la Veracruz and declared an independent government

• This meant he was now responsible to King Carlos I rather than Velazquez

• He sent one ship to Spain with all the treasure he had collected so far and sank the other ten

• This made it impossible for any soldiers loyal to Velazquez to defect

AN UNEQUAL FIGHTAZTEC WEAPON SPANISH WEAPONWar club•A war club could cut like a knife, but would shatter against the Spanish armour

•It was designed for swinging and chopping, but was so heavy a soldier had to use both hands to swing it

Sword•The steel swords were double edged, needle pointed and sharp as a razor

•With this metre long weapon in his hand, a fighter could slash and stab at the enemy with deadly effect. His other hand was free to carry a shield or hold the reins of a horse

Wooden Spear•The spear ends were sharpened wood that had been hardened by fire

•The Aztecs would try to get close to the enemy and thrust the spears at unprotected areas like the throat or eyes

Halberd•A halberd was over two meters long and had a spear blade, an axe point and a hook

Atlatl (spearthrower)•An atlatl was a apiece of jointed wood that allowed an Aztec soldier to throw a short spear a great distance, with much more force than using his arm

•Aztecs also used bow and arrows, and slings

Crossbow•A crossbow could shoot a wooden arrow with such force that it could penetrate even the thickest armour

AZTEC WEAPONS

SPANISH WEAPONS

AN UNEQUAL FIGHT

• The Spanish weapons took the Aztecs completely by surprise

• Muskets, long rifle like guns fired from the shoulder, and cannons while common in Europe were unknown to the Aztecs

• When they first encountered the sound of these new weapons, the Aztecs thought it was thunder and lightning

• Moctezuma sent ambassadors to the Spanish camp, Cortez ordered his men to fire their weapons before the ambassadors left

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhKCSNraTGw

ANOTHER NEW WEAPON

• An additional military advantage held by the Spanish was the horse

• Horses had never been seen by the Aztecs• Their size, power and speed fascinated the

Aztecs• The Spanish were skilled enough to rein the

horse using single hand with the other using a weapon

• The Aztecs on foot could not compete

THE ROLE OF DISEASE• In the quest for control

of the Aztec empire, small pox broke out in Tenochtitlan

• European explores and traders also brought the measles and other diseases to North America

• The indigenous tribes had no immunity to these diseases

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYmUqpQt6SA

An epidemic is a disease that spreads rapidly and affects many individuals at the same time

INVASION

• Author Roland Wright wrote, “the Aztecs and the Spaniards had much in common. Both were warlike, mercantile, avaricious, and quick to resort to force. Both believed they had a divine mission to rule the world”

• After establishing his coastal colony, Cortes decided that is was time to march to the heart of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan

• Cortez soon realized we would need to befriend or conquer the indigenous tribes he encountered on the journey

INVASION• After defeating a group called the

Tabscans, Cortez was given many gifts including a slave named Malinche

• Born into a noble family, but sold into slavery after the death of her father, Malinche could speak both Mayan and Nahuatl

• Within a short time she had also learned Spanish

• She converted to Christianity and was then known as Dona Marina

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP212BrdBlE

THE MARCH TO TENOCHTITLAN

• Cortez continued towards his goal of Tenochtitlan. Each group reacted in different ways forcing Cortez to adapt– The Totanacs invited Cortez to Zempoala, and complained

about the tribute demanded by the Aztecs. Cortez promised protection in exchange for warriors

– The Tlaxcalans fought the Spanish, but the Spanish held them off and offered to make peace. The Tlaxcalans agreed, and added 1000 of their own soldiers to the Spanish forces

– The Cholulans were loyal allies of the Aztecs. Malinche over heard a conspiracy to attack the Spanish and she alerted Cortez. As a result the Spanish conquered the Cholulan people

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nS6MpVbB_g&safe=active

THE BATTLE FOR TENOCHTITLAN

• Cortez and his forces were taken to live in the palace of Moctezuma’s late father

• Blinded by their desire for gold, the Spanish placed Moctezuma under house arrest in his palace

• They looted gold from royal palaces and melted it down.

• More Spanish troops arrived on the coast, they had been sent by Governor Velazquez to arrest Cortez

• Cortez left to deal with this threat• Pedro de Alvarado was left in charge of

Tenochtitilan• He gave permission for the Aztecs to host a festival

but then ordered his troops to massacre the dancers

THE BATTLE FOR TENOCHTITLAN

• Cortez defeated the forces sent by Velaquez and convinced them to join his forces to fight the Aztecs

• Tenochtitlan was in chaos when Cortez returned, in an effort to clam the masses Moctezuma was asked to speak to the people to clam them down

• Stones were thrown at the Emperor and he subsequently died as a result of those injuries or murder by the Spanish

• The Aztecs attacked the Spanish and their allies, driving them out of Tenochtitlan, while killing many of their adversaries

THE BATTLE FOR TENOCHTITLAN

• Cortez returned and attacked Tenochtitlan with a stronger force about six months later

• At this time about 25% of the Aztec population had been killed by smallpox

• The Spanish cut the aqueducts to the city and after a siege of about 80 days the Aztecs were defeated

• The Spanish tore down the city as they captured it• Only 60,000 Aztecs survived in the city• The foundations for a Spanish colony in the

Americas grew from the ashes of Tenochtitlan

THE LAST DAYS OF THE AZTECS

In the roads lie broken spears...Without roofs are the houses.

And red are their walls with blood. Maggots swarm in the streets and squares...

The waters have turned crimson, as if they were dyed...In shields was our defence.

But shields could not hold back the desolation. We have eaten... Lumps of the abode,

Lizards and rats,Soil turned to dust even the worms.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-uwYYd5WnY&feature=fvwrel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8niQ1ZAbwU&safe=active