Chapter 3 Section 2 Early European Exploration in the Americas.
-
Upload
meghan-wilkerson -
Category
Documents
-
view
220 -
download
2
Transcript of Chapter 3 Section 2 Early European Exploration in the Americas.
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