Transcript Aztec Empire Aztec Empire

The Spanish
Conquering of
the Aztecs
What the Spanish Found…
Empire in Trouble
 The
Spanish appeared on American shores
in the early 1500s. At that time civil war
weakened the Aztec Empire.
 In
the Aztec Empire, a number of tribes
began to rebel against their harsh Aztec
rulers. Infuriated, Moctezuma sent huge
attacks against them.
Empire in Trouble cont.
 Rebellion
was everywhere and the Aztec
were forced to fight in many areas at once.
Because their armies were spread all over,
they lost many battles.
 Also, war costs became very high. There
were few resources left for making new
conquests

Higher war costs, less tribute (gold or food or slaves) from new
conquests, and a famine( loss of crops) in 1505 caused
Moctezuma to demand more tribute from his conquered tribes.
This demand led to even more resentment and rebellion
Tenochtitlan
The Spaniards, according to the
Natives
(What the Natives thought of the Spaniards)
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
A thing like a ball
of stone flies out
of their bellies
and rains fire….
If the ball hits a
tree, it blows
away in splinters,
as though a
magician had
blown it away
from inside.
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
Their battle
dress and
their arms are
all made of
iron…. They
are carried on
the backs of
stags [horses]
wherever they
like to go.
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
Their skin is white, as though made of
chalk…. Their dogs are great monsters
with flat ears and long tongues which
hang out."
These are the words used by Aztec
messengers who tried to describe
what they saw when they met the
Spanish for the first time in Mexico.
The Conquering of the Aztecs
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
Hernando Cortes, the
Spanish conquistador
(conqueror), landed on
the shores of central
Mexico in April 1519,
seeking adventure and
wealth.
With him were over
550 men, 16 horses,
14 cannons, and a few
dogs.
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
He was greeted by messengers of the Aztec ruler
Moctezuma. Wanting to show the Aztec his power, Cortes
had the ships' cannons fired. The Aztec were stunned.
They rushed back and reported to Moctezuma.
ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH
The Aztec had never seen cannons or horses or men with
white skin before. "When Moctezuma heard this report, he
was seized with fright. His heart grew weak to the point of
faintness…. And despair overcame him."
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
Moctezuma
first thought
that Cortes
might be
Quetzalcoatl
(keht sahl koh
AHTL), an
ancient god
who had
returned to
earth to control
the Aztec
kingdom.
Moctezuma welcomed the
Spanish into Tenochtitlan (the
Aztec capital) saying, "It appears
that our Lord has returned to his
country. Go and receive him
worthily."
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
•But soon he learned he had made a terrible
mistake.
•Only a few days later Cortes took Moctezuma
hostage in a palace guarded by 100 Spaniards.
•Moctezuma ordered vast amounts of gold and
silver brought to the palace, hoping the foreigners
would take it and leave his city.
•But they did not. Moctezuma remained a prisoner.
Even worse, his people blamed him for the Spanish
takeover of the capital. They felt he was to helpful
towards Spanish.
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
 Spanish
commander Panfilo de Narvaez
arrive at Mexican coast to take Cortes
prisoner for conquering inland without
permission.
 Cortes leaves Tenochtitlan to fight
Narvaez (leaves Pedro de Alvarado in
charge), attacks during negotiations
(surprise) takes Narvaez prisoner, recruits
Narvaez’s men to fight for Cortes
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
 While
in charge Alvarado, at Tenochtitlan,
orders the attack of Aztec warriors while
they are in festival
 Aztecs revolt and fight back

Moctezuma is killed, by own people or
Spanish?
• Spanish claim it was Aztecs, Aztecs claim it was
Spanish
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
•Alvarado and his men escape battle to Tlaxcalan
(Spanish allies) camp
•Alvarado sends word about the revolt to Cortes
•Cortes recruits natives and newly acquired Spanish
soldiers
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
The Tlaxcalan
had hated the
Aztec for a
long time, so
Cortes had no
problem
persuading
them to help
him defeat the
Aztec.
Cortez Conquers the Aztecs
•Other
conquered
tribes eagerly
joined the army.
•In May 1521,
the Spanish led
a huge army of
angry tribes
against the
Aztec capital.
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
•August 13,
1521,after fierce
fighting, with most of
their warriors dead
from disease,
starvation, or war
wounds, the Aztec
gave up.
•Within two years'
time the Spanish had
destroyed the Aztec
Empire.
Why did the
Spanish Defeat
the Aztec
Empire so
Easily?
The Aztec, with
bronze and copper
shields, stone
knives, and wovencloth armor, were no
match for them.
Why did the Spanish Defeat the
Aztec Empire so Easily?
Second
•Moctezuma believed that
Cortes might have been a
god and allowed him to walk
freely into the capital city.
•But Cortes saw the Aztec
culture as something evil to
be destroyed and replaced
by the Christian faith.
The two groups even fought by
different rules.
•The Aztec usually fought to
take captives to kill in a
ceremony of sacrifice to their
gods.
•The Spanish, however, fought
to kill their enemies on the
battlefield.
Why did the Spanish Defeat the
Aztec Empire so Easily?
Third
The Spanish took advantage of the weakened
and rebellious state of the Aztec and Inca
empires.
Many tribes were angry against the Aztec so
they were willing to guide the Spanish through
their territory and help them win their battles.
Tragically, the Spanish then turned and fought
those helpful tribes once the Spanish got what
they wanted.
Finally
•Disease brought by the
Europeans had a disastrous
effect on the Aztec.
•Smallpox and measles,
which the Aztec had never
been exposed to, spread
rapidly through their
empires.
•Disease killed off many in
their armies, and killed off
many leaders too, leaving
the Aztec even weaker.
Why did the
Spanish Defeat
the Aztec
Empire so
Easily?
Critical Thinking
 On
a separate sheet of paper, compare
the defeat of the Aztec by the Spanish to
the defeat of the Inca by the Spanish.

What do you think would have happened to
the Aztec and the Inca if the Spanish had not
explored the Americas?
Bibliography
 http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~vms/carlton/s
panish.htm
 Google Images: Cortez, Pizzaro, Inca,
Aztec, Moctezuma, Atahualpa