Date post: | 01-Sep-2014 |
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Analyzing the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs•Montezuma ruled Aztecs in Tenochtitlan from 1502-
1519•He and Aztecs were waiting for bearded white god
Quetzalcoatl who was believed to destroy empire
Hernando Cortes: Spanish Explorer
•1519: Cortes set out to find and capture city if Tenochtitlan for GOLD•He landed in Veracruz, east coast of Mexico•Same year as the Aztecs predicted Quetzalcoatl would return!
Journey to Tenochtitlan• It took Cortes and
men 3 months to travel from Veracruz to Tenochtitlan (200 miles)• Attacked by Aztec
allies• Other Indians
who were conquered by Aztecs joined Spanish to seek revenge!
Cortes arrives in Tenochtitlan
•Once Cortes arrived, Montezuma invited him in as an honored guest•Believed Cortes’s victories
over Aztec allies was proof that he was a GOD
•Cortes worried his true identity would be discovered! He took Montezuma hostage for 6 months.
Suddenly, Cortes called to Veracruz to settle dispute
•While gone, Aztec priests had religious ceremony• Remaining Spanish soldiers
thought they might be sacrificed! • They attacked unarmed
priests• Aztecs surrounded Spaniards
•Cortez returned, Aztecs attacked, Spaniards fled city•Montezuma killed
in battle•5 months later,
Cortes gathers army of 1000s and returns to attack•Aztecs weakened by
smallpox, still held off army
•Cortes and army defeated Aztecs. Surrounded city and cut off supply of food and water.•Aztecs surrendered August 21, 1521, city was
in ruins