Download Conquest in the Americas

Conquest in the Americas
Americas
• Columbus and Tainos
– Good relationship until Tainos did not respect
Christian symbols
– Columbus imprisoned Tainos and claimed land
for Spain
• Conquistadors- Spanish Conquerors who
came to Americas
Americas
• Advantages
– Guns- superior weaponry
– Horses- useful in battle, frightened natives
– Disease-smallpox, measles, influenza
• Carried by Spanish- immune
• Killed millions
Aztecs
• Cortes
– Wanted to succeed where no one else had
– Trekked to Tenochtitlan
• capital of Aztec empire
– Cortes arranged alliances with Aztec enemies
• Agreed to help fight
Aztecs
• Moctezuma was sent word of Cortes
– Not sure if he was a God or not
– Sent him lots of gifts of gold and religious
icons
– Urged him to go away
• Gold enticed Cortes and he wanted more,
continued on
Aztecs
• Relations soured when Spanish tried to
convert Aztecs to Christianity
– Spanish captured Moctezuma
– Aztec’s forced Spanish out
• Moctezuma killed
Aztecs
• Later Spanish regained forces and took over
Tenochtitlan
• Disease had killed many Aztec
Incas
• Pizarro
– Word of Cortes success had spread
– Tried to conquer Inca empire
• Ruled by Atahualpa
– Refused to become Spanish Vassel
Incas
• Pizarro captured him and slaughtered many
Incas
– Demanded ransom, once paid Pizarro killed
Atahualpa anyway
Effects of Spanish Conquest
• Spanish had taken over much of South
America
• Formed huge gold and silver mines
– Shipped back to Spain
• Spain became huge world power
Effects of Spanish Conquest
• Indians were depleted
– Disease and warfare had killed nearly 90% of
population
• Out of those that were left many gave in to
Spanish and converted to Christianity,
• Others resisted and kept fighting