Download Fall of the Aztec Empire

Guided Reading: Creative Learners
Fall of the Aztec Empire
Aztec Jaguar Warrior
The Aztecs were a race of American Indians. They lived in what is now Mexico
and some of the American Southwest. They called themselves the Mexica. They
were later conquered by the Spanish in the early 1500s. This led to the fall of the
Aztec Empire.
In 1521, the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire. The Spanish were led by
Hernán Cortés. They first took over the capital city of Tenochtitlan. During this
time, many of the people died of hunger and smallpox. The Spanish were helped
by enemies of the Aztecs. They were from the city-state of Tlaxcala. The Aztecs
were hated by many city-states. So, it was easy for Cortés to find help. The
conquering took almost 60 years to complete. Deadly diseases also helped wipe out
the Aztecs, too.
After the fall of Tenochtitlan, many of the area’s culture stayed intact.
There was not an instant impact on the cultures. Many people even felt that the fall
of the empire was more positive than negative. Being allies of the Spanish, the
Tlaxcalans gained the most.
Cortés did state that he intended to preserve the structure of the empire. It
looked like the empire would survive under the Spanish. The upper classes of the
Aztecs were made noblemen. The uppers classes learned to speak Spanish. They
learned to write in Roman characters. The mood, however, would soon change.
The Aztecs were no longer allowed to practice their culture. They could not learn
to read or write in Spanish. Under Spanish law, they were reduced to second-class
citizens.
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Guided Reading: Creative Learners
Deadly disease again spread rapidly through the Aztec people. The outbreak
of smallpox in 1520 and 1545 and the typhus outbreak in 1576 nearly killed the
entire population. Towns vanished. Lands were left empty. Roads were shut down.
Armies were destroyed. The Aztec nobleman lost the little power they had from
the Spanish. The Spanish grouped the survivors together and hoped disease would
kill the surviving Aztecs. For labor, the Spanish brought in black slaves. By this
time, the area was fully run by the Spanish.
Glossary:
1. Tenochtitlan — Capital of the Aztec empire.
2. Tlaxcala — Group of people who lived near the Aztecs, but were not their
allies.
3. Typhus — A disease that is spread by lice and fleas that caused many deaths
among American Indians.
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Guided Reading: Creative Learners
Name: ________________________________
Date: ____________________
Fall of the Aztec Empire
Discussion Questions:
1. Who led the Spanish in conquering the Aztec Empire?
2. What was the name of the capital city that the Spanish conquered first?
3. What city-state became allies with the Spanish?
4. What diseases nearly wiped out the Aztec population?
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