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Hernando Cortez
October 14, 2014
At age nineteen, Hernando Cortez sailed to the New World to seek his fortune. He joined up with Christopher Columbus and helped conquer the island of Cuba. Hernando Cortez
Conquered the Aztecs
Spain, 1519
Hernando Cortez was the son of a minor nobleman in Spain. He was seven years old when Columbus landed in the Americas.
Then he married the sister of the new Governor of Cuba.
V.
Dec 15­5:22 PM
Going for the Gold!
There were rumors that the Aztecs had built a glorious city of gold at Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City).
Sep 12­4:23 PM
The Governor's goal was to gain wealth and glory for himself, so he chose someone he thought he could trust to lead the expedition ­­ his brother­in­law, Hernando Cortez.
Hernando Cortez leaves Cuba with his expedition as the Governor sees him off.
Dec 15­5:29 PM
Sep 12­4:53 PM
Hernando Cortez
October 14, 2014
Cortez had only 400 men, but he had horses, firearms, and iron armor.
The Plot Thickens:
Enemies of
the Aztecs
Cortez landed in Mexico in 1519 and learned that the neighbors, the Tlaxcalans, did not like the Aztecs. Meeting of Tlaxcala and Hernando Cortez
Sep 17­4:37 PM
Dec 15­5:55 PM
The Plot Thickens Further: Legend of Quetzalcoatl
There was good reason the Tlaxcalans hated the Aztecs. The Aztecs made war on their neighbors then sacrificed them to their gods. They slaughtered them then cut out their hearts.
Along the way to the Aztecs, Cortez learned of the legend of Quetzalcoatl. According to his legend, there was a god named Quetzalcoatl who sailed to the east and promised to return one day.
Quetzalcoatl
Sep 17­4:54 PM
Dec 15­6:06 PM
Hernando Cortez
October 14, 2014
Montezuma
Montezuma was the ruler of the Aztec Empire. The population of this empire was around 1 million people, with between 100,000 and 200,000 in the capital city (Tenochtitlan) alone.
1. Native Allies
predict: Cortez had only 400 men.
How did he conquer the Aztec
Empire? (Think of five things!
There were all kinds of hints in the
presentation.)
Cortez persuaded thousands of Tlaxcalans to march with him to Tenochtitlan. They supplied him with troops, food, transport, and bases to retreat back to friendly territory.
Dec 16­8:08 AM
Dec 16­10:26 AM
3. Romance
2. The Trick!
Cortez pretended to be the god Quetzalcoatl. He rode a horse, an animal which the Aztecs had never seen. Cortez married the daughter of Montezuma! Quetzalcoatl
Cortez
Quetzalcoatl (Cortez) and Spaniards on Horses!
OOOOOO!!!
Emperor Montezuma welcomes Cortez into the "family."
Cortez with father­in­law Montezuma
Dec 16­11:24 AM
Dec 16­11:38 AM
Hernando Cortez
October 14, 2014
4. Puppetry
Cortez forced Emperor Montezuma to stand on the balcony of his palace and ask his people to retreat.
The Aztecs were so angry at their leader they picked up large stones and pelted him.
Montezuma died a short time afterward.
The Conquest of Tenochtitlan Dec 16­4:47 PM
Dec 16­4:58 PM
5. Smallpox
The Spaniards brought with them a deadly epidemic of smallpox. The Surrender of Cuauhtémoc, the Last Emperor of the Aztec Empire
The Aztecs had never encountered this disease, so they had no resistance. Dec 16­5:03 PM
The Aztecs finally surrendered and Cortez became the wealthiest man in the New World. Dec 16­5:15 PM
Hernando Cortez
October 14, 2014
Sep 26­11:29 AM