Cortes Research Paper

The Aztecs, part of modern day Mexico, were once the epitome of fine culture. They began their rule of southern and central Mexico during the 14th century and practiced an incredibly wealthy lifestyle. Nonetheless, this rule began to deteriorate when Spanish explorers disembarked at Tabasco and Vera Cruz on April 21st 1519. When the Spanish voyagers first arrived, they were welcomed warmly, respectfully and received Godlike treatment. Montezuma, the ruler at that time, believed that the Spanish military leader, Hernán Cortés, was the great god Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish took advantage of this Aztec belief and conquered Mexico within two years. By 1521, the Aztec culture was officially eradicated and a new culture, consisting of a

The Aztec people felt very strong about their beliefs in gods and superstitions. Montecuhzoma the independent ruler of the Aztec empire swayed his people to believe in the power of gods and idols and live a spiritual life. This ultimately was a turning point for the Aztecs and is where the Spanish once again gained advantage over the Aztecs. While the Aztecs were faithful to their beliefs it made them powerless an easy take down. Superstitions played a huge factor in the Aztecs first encounter with the Spanish people. In 1519 when the Aztec people saw sight of something coming from a distance in the water, they believed it was Quetzalcoatl (Leon-Portilla, 18). Quetzalcoatl was a legend to them that promised to come back. Montecuhzoma misread the situation and sent messages and gifts in hopes that it sent a gesture to welcome the gods onto their land. This was a big mistake that Motecuhzoma made by opening his arms to the Spanish people upon their first encounter together (Leon-Portilla, 63). This is just one case where the Aztec people poorly used their judgement. However, Motecuhzoma did come to realize the behavior of the Spaniards or “Gods”. When the Spaniards held the gold given by the Aztecs their greed became noticed in the eyes of the Aztecs. The Natives described them as monkeys. They soon caught on that the Spaniards were not gods and heroes and more so barbarians

His brother in law Hernán Cortés leads the third trip, the trip gets cancelled but Cortés leaves anyways. This results in Diego having to order for treason, which equals to death for Cortés. So when Cortés reaches Vera Cruz in March 1519 he names himself, mayor, he then gives the crew no option to go back to Cuba because he burns the ships, its Victory or Death. In Vera Cruz Cortés almost gets killed but he tears down the major pyramid. As the Aztecs kept their army on hand ready for battle, the Spaniards were on their way to Tenochtitlan with 450 troops in company. On the road to Tenochtitlan they found the Aztecs blocked the roads with large trees in order to slow down any enemy troops but they were unopposed. Now while the Spanish were coming there was a legend about a white man with a beard that was Quetzalcoatl coming back. This is the reason the Aztecs even let the Spanish in was because Cortés was a pale white man with a beard. The Spanish feared and were intimidated how the Aztecs ruled but Cortés was greeted with gift of gold and silver from Montezuma the leader at the time. The people hoped the gifts would please the Spanish and make them either go away or to just satisfy them. The gold they were given only made the Spanish want to enter the city even more; they had a passion for gold. After they took Montezuma as prisoner they made him act like

The reading “An Aztec account of the Spanish Conquest” is mainly about a story when Hernan Cortes came for the first time at Tenochtitlan (nowadays Mexico City). The Aztecs believes that when Hernan Cortes arrive they believe the he was Quetzalcoatl, the main god in the Aztec culture. Cortes were friendly invite to the Aztec city as the most important guest, the Aztec people made a big party to celebrate the return of their god, but the Aztec people did not know Cortes intentions of conquer the empire. Later the Aztecs were betrayed by Hernan Cortes. Cortes’s army began to attack the city and at the end they take over the city.

The Aztec were a powerful group but did not have an imperialistic worldview like the Spanish. The Spanish expanded their empire and travelled across to the America’s. Here they explored and conquered many groups of people. As they fought the Spanish army grew with more slaves being taken in. This was very different from the Aztec people who fought only for control. They were not focused on expanding their religion and allowed conquered areas to keep their religion and way of life. They did not take slaves and used the captured men for human sacrifice. The Aztec thought that sacrifice would keep their gods happy and increased the amount of before they were conquered. Thus the Aztec worldview was based on religion and the gods. The Aztec and Spanish worldviews were different. The Aztec respected their gods and only conquered land to not be destroyed while the Spanish conquered land to expand their empire. These factors helped contribute to the fall of the powerful Aztec

Among many things given to the Spaniards during the first few days of contact with the Aztecs was a large chest of gold figures along many other expensive things. This gesture of good will by the Aztecs would eventually lead to their downfall. The moment Cortez started receiving all these wonderful items his mind was most likely made up that he would do whatever it took to plunder every valuable item of the Aztec kingdom. As Cortez gradually moved deeper into Aztec territory he steadily received more gifts from the Aztecs and from other city-states that surrounded Tenochtitlan. Each time Montezuma requested for Cortez and the Spaniards to return back to the coast and conduct meetings and trade from there. However, with each gift received just gave Cortez additional incentive to move towards Tenochtitlan. By the time the Spaniards were in Tenochtitlan the Aztecs saw their true colors and it was too late.

Cortez temporarily left the city leaving Pedro De Alvarado in charge. Pedro ended up murdering several priests and religious leaders which caused the Aztecs to revolt. Cortez then arrived back in the middle of the revolt. He had Montezuma talk to them and made them calm down, but the Aztecs still considered him a traitor. Montezuma was killed by the protesters throwing stones.

Since the King Charles II, King of Spain was a very greedy man, he needed all the wealth so he could pay for the wars. King Charles II also kept 20 percent of the gold and jewels for himself as he wanted to be astonishingly wealthy. This was also another reason for why Spaniards fought so many wars. The Spanish were known for having an eye for gold, and Cortes would do anything to get it, so when Moctezuma offered Cortes gold and jewels, he and his crew were attracted and wanted to stay. Cortes wanted to take over this land and take all the gold for himself and his country, so when the Spaniards saw all the gold there was nothing to obstruct them from having the conflict with the Aztecs to get a hold of the precious jewels. The Native tribe

He accomplished this by ambushing and capturing the Inca ruler Atahualpa. Pizarro invited Atahualpa to a "peaceful gathering", but when Atahualpa arrived, he was captured, imprisoned and ransomed. Atahualpa's ransom was paid by the Inca empire with what would be equivalent to 50 million dollars worth of gold today, or, better stated by Pizarro, as "enough gold to fill a room". Unfortunately, this ransom was paid to no avail; in 1533 the Spaniards strangled and beheaded Atahualpa. The Spaniards extended their control over Inca territory in the following years. In 1572 they overwhelmed the last of the Inca forces and captured the last emperor, Túpac Amaru. In beheading him, they ended the Inca dynasty.

came back and helped kill over 10,000 Aztecs and in the act, thousands of Spaniards died. Suddenly, Cortes started

Ms. Cortes seemed distant from the boys when I arrived. As time went on she began to engage with them. She played catch and a board game in the living room with the boys. When the Nicholas and Messiah started to fight over the game she removed it. I asked her, why did she think they started to fight. She thought they were being crybabies. The game was Snakes and Ladders and for kids ages 3 and up who can count. Nicholas and Messiah are still learning how to count. I told her the game was not appropriate and they were frustrated. I asked her how can she redirect their attention. She asked the boys, if they wanted to play catch. She played catch with Nicholas and Jordan until lunch time. Messiah went in his room to play with his Mutant Ninja

After a mutiny and less then fruitful journeys, Pizarro convinced the Spanish government to allow an expedition with the prospect of being the future governor of the unclaimed land Peru (The Mariners' Museum, 2014). He made his way towards the city of Cajamarca in 1532, being allowed to travel inland by the Incan emperor, Atahualpa, believing they were “children of the sun” (Black, 2005). At the city, Pizarro hosted a huge feast, with many Inca nobles, including the emperor, attending. While at the feast, the Incan guests were rushed, killed, and the emperor taken hostage. After chats, Atahualpa agreed to ransom himself by agreeing to fill a room, and when that was not enough, he doubled the offer. The final offer consisting of over 3,000 cubic feet worth of gold and silver (The Mariners' Museum, 2014). Even after having to send their own troops out to help collect all the riches from across the Incan empire, eventually his men returned with a staggering load of riches. After all was said and done, by June 1533, Pizarro had 333lbs worth of gold and silver, a value of nearly 100 million US dollars (The Mariners' Museum, 2014). He sent his brother to turn his 1/5 portion due to the Spanish Crown and was promptly reward with fame, fortune, and royal titles whereas Atahualpa was executed, but not before he was converted. He still had to conquer Cuzco, the Capital of Peru. This would prove to be

Maybe too much credit is given to Cortés as one of the greatest Spanish conquerors who developed effective strategy to defeat the Aztecs. Restall see this as somewhat of a myth accounting for the failure of historians to look at history before the 1519 (Restall, 19). Restall says “However, too often, without any direct evidence, the actions of Conquistadors after the 1519– 21 invasion of Mexico are taken as deliberately imitating Cortés, while pre-1519 patterns are ignored.” Whatever the case for whom should be given the credit for the strategy used to defeat the Aztecs; one must admit Cortés was able the win the trust of the people and use the Aztecs’ fear of him to control their empire. Cortés harbored fear of his own. Elliott says, “Cortés felt some uneasiness, when he reflected that it was in the power of the Indians, at any time, to cut off his communications with the surrounding country, and hold him a prisoner in the capital.” The Omens of the Aztecs betrayed them and caused them to see the arriving settlers as gods. They were not prepared to defend themselves against the advanced weapons of the Spanish. Much like the Aztecs, the Mayans faced hard times at the hands of the Spanish conquerors, but their defeat came much easier to the Spanish.

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who owned land in Cuba. He soon heard of Spanish expeditions being repelled by Indians, and as a result, he set out to do what others could not. In 1519 Cortés landed on the coast of Mexico with 600 men, 16 horses, and several cannons. He then began a trek towards the inland of Mexico where the heart of the Aztec Empire was located. Shortly after beginning his voyage, Cortés met a young Indian woman named Malinche. She served as Cortés’s advisor and translator and later helped him form alliances with local Native American tribes. Cortés made it to the Aztec capital and soon captured Moctezuma, the Aztec emperor. After forcing Moctezuma into many contracts, Cortés and his army were driven from the

Eventually one of Cortes’ men led a massacre of the Mexican nobles, and murdered Montezuma. These conquests led to other conquests with the motivation of more gold and more land. Another conqueror, Francisco Pizarro, also led his men to capture an emperor, Atahualpa of the Incans, and held him for a ransom of silver and gold. With this gold and silver, as well as land, they executed Atahualpa. These violent raids proved beneficial to the Spanish, helping them spread their conquered land further south in the Americas. This quest made the Spanish not only rich in silver and gold, but in land and with slaves, by use of violent force.