Chapter 3 Section 2

Early European Exploration in the Americas

The Conquistadors

• Conquistador—conqueror– Believed work was labor of God– Their duty to defeat all nonbelievers– Also hoped to gain wealth & glory– 7 Cities of Gold legend

• 7 bishops fled Spain when Moors invaded• Men traveled across ocean• Est. 7 Cities of Cibola—achieved great wealth

Hernan Cortes

• As a young man, he studied law

• 1504--went to the island of Santo Domingo--only 19 years old at the time

• became mayor of Santiago de Cuba and stayed there until 1518

Hernan Cortes

• 1519—landed in present-day Mexico• Heard about wealthy Aztec civilization led

by Montezuma II • Had 600 men and a few horses travel

inland to Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlán • Along the way made allies with tribes who

were enemies of Aztecs• 1519, Cortés & men reached the Aztec

capital and met Montezuma

Hernan Cortes

• Aztecs may have thought that Cortés was a god-king--treated him & his soldiers well

• takes Montezuma hostage--forces him to swear allegiance to King Charles V of Spain

• Cortes forced out of Tenochtitlán• When he returns—is attacked by Aztecs

– Aztec attack prompted by slaughter of 600 Aztec nobles while Cortes was away

Hernan Cortes

• Cortes tries to calm the Aztecs by releasing Montezuma--Aztecs stone him to death

• 1520: Hernando Cortes & his soldiers forced out of Tenochtitlan

• 1521: Hernando Cortes returns to Tenochtitlan with reinforcements

• 1521: August 13 Plague strikes the Aztec population and Tenochtitlan falls to Cortes

• Hernando Cortes conquered 5 Million Aztecs with less than 1000 soldiers

Weapons

• Spanish– Better weapons– Better amour

• Steel swords• Guns• Cannons• diseases

• Aztecs– Bows– Arrows– Clubs– Spears– Wicker shields– Padded cotton

After Cortes

• Franciso Pizarro– Defeated Inca empire– 1532– Founded Peru