Download La Malinche - Cloudfront.net

The Conquest of Mexico
How was Cortés able to defeat the Aztec Empire?
Mesoamerica
Conquest of Mexico
In 1519, a Spanish expedition led by Hernan Cortés appeared off the shore
of Mexico
Cortés traveled to Mexico in search of gold, silver, and treasures
Cortés was greeted by several Aztec messengers, who thought the Spanish
Conquistadors were gods (Quetzalcoatl)
Cortés learned that the Aztec capital had many treasures
When Cortés arrived in the capital city of Tenochtitlan, he met the Aztec
King, Motecuhzoma, who also believed Cortés to be a God
Motecuhzoma gave Cortés gold and promised him other treasures.
Later, Cortés men would kill many Aztecs during a religious festival
The Aztecs fought back but their king was captured and later killed
Using his Indigenous (Indian) translator, Doña Marina (La Malinche),
Cortés found out that other Indian groups hated the Aztecs
Through La Malinche, Cortés convinced the other Indigenous (Indian)
groups to join him
Cortés & other Indians made a final siege on the Aztec capital and left the
city and Aztec Empire in ruins
Reasons Cortés beats Aztecs:
1) Disease Brought by Spaniards
2) Spanish Steel vs. Aztec Spears
3) Other Indian Groups assist Cortes
The Broken Spears
Miguel LeonPortilla, a Mexican anthropologist, gathered accounts by
the Aztecs, some of which were written shortly after the conquest. He
translated from Nahuatl to Spanish
Important Vocabulary:
Motecuhzoma (Nahuatl) or Montezuma (English) or Moctezuma
(Spanish) = the king of the Aztecs
Mexica = Aztecs
The Captain = Cortés
Tlaxcalans = Another Indigenous group that hated the Aztecs
La Malinche = Indigenous woman who was Cortés translator &
mistress
Tenochtitlan = Aztec capital, Mexico City built on its ruins
Broken Spears: Group Jobs
#1 Reader: Will read the story out-loud to the group
#2 Summarizer: Will take notes during reading & write a
one paragraph summary on the document
#3 Recorder: Will ask group questions on sheet listen to
answers & fill out the doc. worksheet
#4 Reporter: Will keep track of time and will report the
groups results to the whole class
All Members: Will participate in answering questions on
worksheet – each person puts summary on their jigsaw
Note: If you only have three in your group Job #1 & #4
will be combined!