Download 5.1 EUROPEANS REACH THE AMERICAS

5.1 Europeans Reach
the Americas
Asian Spices and Chinese Silks
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Europeans wanted Asian
trade goods – fine silks
for clothing and spices to
preserve and improve
their food.
Overland trade routes
were dangerous
As a result, in the late
1400’s nations in
Western Europe raced to
find an all water route to
Asia
Christopher Columbus
An Italian sailor,
Christopher Columbus
believed that he could
reach Asia by sailing
across the Atlantic
Ocean.
 Although he was
Italian, he sailed for
Spain.
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The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria
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Three ships were given to
Columbus by King
Ferdinand and Queen
Isabella from Spain
On August 3, 1492,
Columbus set sail and
reached the Bahamas on
October 12, 1492
He mistakenly landed on
the continent known as
North America
Spanish Conquest of the Americas
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Spain’s rulers wanted to
expand their Empire by
taking control of the
Americas
Spain wanted to add to
their wealth and spread
Christianity
Spain sent conquistadors
to explore. Soldiers and
adventurers in search of
glory, gold and land.
Cortes Marches through Mexico
In 1519, Hernan
Cortes and his troops
sailed from Spanish
Cuba to the eastern
coast of Mexico.
 He was told of the
vast wealth of the
Aztec empire and
wanted to find and
conquer them.
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The meeting of Moctezuma II and
Cortes
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The Aztec had large
amounts of gold, precious
gems and silver.
Moctezuma gave Cortes
peace offerings from his
treasure, but it was not
enough
Cortes took Moctezuma
captive and began
planning on how to
conquer the Aztec.
Cortes conquers the Aztec
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In May of 1521, the
Spaniards and their
Indian allies took
Tenochtitlan.
After a long and brutal
fight, in August of 1521,
they defeated the Aztec.
Many of the Aztec were
killed or enslaved and
Tenochtitlan laid in ruins.
Much of the great wealth
was sent back to Spain
and Cortes built Mexico
City.