Conquest Of The AztecsConquest Of The Aztecs

© 2011 Clairmont Press

FactsFacts• Read the following website for an Read the following website for an

overview of events:overview of events: Fall of the Azects The Conquistadors

• When: 1519When: 1519

• Where: current day MexicoWhere: current day Mexico

• Who: Hernan Cortes and 400 men Who: Hernan Cortes and 400 men conquer the Aztec capital of conquer the Aztec capital of TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

• Why: rumored city of goldWhy: rumored city of gold

• How: left Cuba by ship, landed on How: left Cuba by ship, landed on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and befriended rival tribes of the Aztecsbefriended rival tribes of the Aztecs

Analyze the paintingAnalyze the paintingThe Conquest of Tenochtitlan

FactsFacts• The Aztec Army was 300,000 The Aztec Army was 300,000

strong but were vastly strong but were vastly outgunned and armored.outgunned and armored.

• Most Aztec died from disease.Most Aztec died from disease.

• Montezuma believed the men Montezuma believed the men to be the Aztec god to be the Aztec god Quetzocoatl returning to Quetzocoatl returning to destroy and rule over the destroy and rule over the Aztecs.Aztecs.

• Quetzocoatl was described Quetzocoatl was described by prophets as riding a by prophets as riding a bear, glowing like the sun, bear, glowing like the sun, and thunder and lighting and thunder and lighting under his control.under his control.

• It was predicted he would It was predicted he would come from the eastern seas, come from the eastern seas, the same direction from the same direction from which the Spaniards came which the Spaniards came in the same year. in the same year.

FactsFacts• Montezuma allowed the Montezuma allowed the

conquistadors to come into his conquistadors to come into his palace.palace.

• They quickly kidnapped him and They quickly kidnapped him and helped themselves to gold and helped themselves to gold and food. food.

• The men were very rough and The men were very rough and rugged.rugged.

• Too late, Montezuma realized they Too late, Montezuma realized they were not gods.were not gods.

• The Aztecs drove them out of the The Aztecs drove them out of the city but were still wary of city but were still wary of attacking them because they attacking them because they might be messengers of might be messengers of Quetzocoatl.Quetzocoatl.

• The Aztecs then stoned The Aztecs then stoned Montezuma for allowing the Montezuma for allowing the Spaniards into the city.Spaniards into the city. Montezuma

FactsFacts

• The Spaniards feared for their lives.The Spaniards feared for their lives.

• In an astounding move of motivation, Cortes burned their In an astounding move of motivation, Cortes burned their ships so no one could return home.ships so no one could return home.

• He ordered four smaller ships to be built and loaded their He ordered four smaller ships to be built and loaded their cannon on board.cannon on board.

• These were used to blockade the city and could be used on the These were used to blockade the city and could be used on the lake.lake.

• Tenochtitlan was blockaded and the city was overwhelmed by Tenochtitlan was blockaded and the city was overwhelmed by disease and starvation. The leaders of the Aztecs lived in the disease and starvation. The leaders of the Aztecs lived in the city. city.

• Eventually they surrendered but not before many died.Eventually they surrendered but not before many died.

• In 1520 there were 27,000,000 Aztecs; three decades later In 1520 there were 27,000,000 Aztecs; three decades later there were less than 300,000.there were less than 300,000.