Download Conquest in the Americas

Conquest in the
Americas
World History
First Encounters in the Americas
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Columbus landed
in the New World
in 1492.
He landed in the
Caribbean on
islands we now call
the West Indies.
The Native
Americans that he
met were part of
the Taino tribe.
Relations Soon Sour
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At first, relations were
peaceful.
Relations soon get
ugly between the two
groups. The
Europeans believed
the Native Americans
disrespected
Christian symbols.
In addition, the Tainos
realized the
Europeans were not
just visiting.
Columbus Sets the Pattern
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Columbus clearly
believes he is
superior to the
Native Americans.
He claims land the
land for Spain and
takes several Tainos
back as prisoners
to the Spanish king.
More Spanish
Conquistadors, or
conquerors, would
soon follow.
Guns, Horses, and Disease
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Very small numbers of Conquistadors are
able to conquer millions of Native
Americans, some with very complex
cultures and strong militaries.
There are three main reasons they are
able to do this: weapons, horses, and
diseases.
These will decimate Native American
cultures and people.
Weapons
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Conquistadors had guns
and cannons that were
superior to Native
American spears and
arrows.
Guns were not very
accurate and loaded
slowly, but they created
very loud noises that
caused chaos on the
battlefield.
They also wore metal
armor, which provided
excellent protection.
Horses
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Conquistadors had
horses that were
useful for carrying
supplies.
More importantly,
they frightened
Native Americans in
battle.
Some Native
Americans did not
know that the man
and horse were not
part of the same
beast.
A Native American Description of A
Horse
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"The 'stags' came forward, carrying soldiers on their
backs. The soldiers wore cotton armor. They bore
their leather shields and their iron spears in their
hands, but their swords hung down from the necks of
the stags. The animals wear many little bells. When
they run, the bells make a loud clamor, ringing and
reverberating. These animals snort and bellow. They
sweat a great deal and the sweat pours from their
bodies in streams. Foam from their muzzles drips
onto the ground in fat drops, like a lather of amole
(soap) When they run, they make a loud noise, as if
stones were raining on the earth. Then the earth is
pitted and cracked open wherever their hooves have
touched it."
Disease
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Europeans brought many killer diseases
to the Americas with them.
The Native Americans had no immunity
at all to these diseases.
They included smallpox, measles, and
the flu.
Entire villages were destroyed by
epidemics. In the 1500’s, 90% of Native
Americans in the Caribbean died of
disease.
Cortes Conquers Mexico
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The Aztecs controlled
a large empire in
Southern Mexico.
Cortes had 600 men,
16 horses, and a few
cannons.
The Aztecs were
feared by the tribes
around them and
those that they
controlled because of
their practice of
human sacrifice.
The Aztec Empire
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The Aztec capital city
was Tenochtitlan, it
was located on the
spot of present day
Mexico City and was
located in the middle
of a lake.
The Aztec emperor
at the time was
named Moctezuma.
Moctezuma Hears of the Arrival of
Cortes
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Moctezuma hears
from messengers
about Cortes and his
men coming toward
the city.
He thinks they might
be gods and begins
to send them gifts.
Cortes becomes very
interested in the gold
and silver of
Tenochtitlan.
Cortes Arrives in Tenochtitlan
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Cortes is welcome
into Tenochtitlan,
but fighting
between the two
groups soon
erupts.
Cortes and his
Indian allies
conquer and
destroy
Tenochtitlan.
Pizarro Conquers Peru
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The Incas controlled a
huge empire in
South America.
Their empire was
connected by a huge
system of roads.
Their ruler,
Atahualpa, had just
taken control of the
empire after a long
civil war with his
brother.
Atahualpa is Captured
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Francisco Pizarro,
aided by Indian allies,
captures Atahualpa
and demands a huge
ransom.
It is paid, but
Atahualpa is killed
anyway.
Because of the effect
of disease among the
Native Americans,
Spain is able to
claim much of South
and Central America.
The Effect of the Conquistadors
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The Spanish
claimed huge
amounts of
territory and had
huge amounts of
gold and silver.
They set up silver
and gold mines
throughout their
new territories.
The Effects of the Conquistadors
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Millions of Native
Americans died.
Many more Europeans
would come to the
New World.
Major empires were
conquered.
Goods and products
were exchanged
between continents.