Chapter 10A Deadly Meeting

How might differences in worldview contribute to the dominance of one

culture over another?

Cortés the

Conquistador

Cortés the Conquistador

- He believed that the recent changes in Spain made Spain a better place in which to live - he embodied the Spanish worldview of

the time- “Gold, God, Glory”

- He was very ambitious - when he heard of the gold that

Columbus brought back from the Caribbean islands (known as the “New World”), he decided to go to the Caribbean (where Spain was building colonies) to find his own fortune

Cortés the Conquistador

- He arrived in Hispaniola (present day Haiti) in 1504- The governor then gave him a large

farm - “But I cam to get gold, not till the

land like a peasant!”- What does this comment reveal

about his worldview?- He then joined an expedition to conquer a

nearby island Cuba - The Spanish conquered Cuba using their

usual formula….

The Conquistadors’ Formula (p. 218)1. An expedition would set out from a

recent colony.2. After landing in a new region, the

Spansih would try to meet peacefully with the first groups of Indigenous people they encountered. (Their aim was to discover which group in the area was the most powerful.)

3. The Spanish would invite the leader of that powerful group to a meeting to exchange gifts. The Spanish would then seize the leader and threaten to kill him unless his followers obeyed their orders.

The Conquistadors’ Formula (cont’d)4. If they did have to fight, the Spanish

would try to do so on open ground. (Their horses, armour, and weapons gave them a huge advantage.)

5. The leader of the expedition would remain as governor of the new colony and his second-in-command would organize the next expedition. The Indigenous peoples would be forced into slavery.

What do you think ofThe Conquistadors’ Formula?

Cortés remained in Cuba (as the

second-in-command) for 8 years he then became restless and wanted to learn more about the Yucatan Peninsula (the large landmass west of Cuba)

-these expeditions brought back reports that caused great excitement…

-it seemed that this new land was home to a civilization that was stronger, more advanced, and wealthier than any group of people the Spanish had yet encountered….the Aztecs

Expeditions Were Sent tothe Yucatan Peninsula

-feeling as though he was finally going to have the chance to claim his fortune, Cortés worked to finance and assemble his own expedition to the Yucatan-in a few short months he had 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 Indigenous slaves and 16 horses

The Opportunity Cortés Had Been Waiting For

A glimpse into Cortés’ personality…

Cortés Arrives in Mexico

• first thing upon arriving, he established a town on the coast and declared an independent government• this meant that he was now responsible

to the King and not to Velazquez (proves that Velazquez was right to worry about Cortés not recognizing his authority)

• He then sent one ship to Spain with all of the treasure that he had collected to so far and then sank the other 10 ships• Why would he do that?

Cortés Marches Inland

• After establishing his colony on the coast, Cortés decided that it was time to go to the heart of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan

• Along the way he and his army ecountered a number of other Indigenous peoples – each time he encountered an Indigenous group, he changed is strategy….p. 230• One of these groups was the Tabascan

people – they were given gifts (food, clothing, gold and slaves)• One of these slaves was Malinche• She would prove to be the key to

Cortés conquering the Aztec Empire

• With Malinche (aka Doña Marina) as the intermediary (the link) between Cortés and Moctezuma, and capitalizing on the fact that some of the neighbors of the Aztecs were their enemies (remember how they were often used as human sacrifice), Cortés continued his march to Tenochtitlan

An Unequal Fight (p. 223)

• Both the Aztecs and the Spanish had powerful tools of war, but they weren’t evenly matched

• Study page 223 and determine which side you think had the technological advantage

The Spanish Advantage• Weapons & Technology (for instance the

musket, crossbow, and steel)• Disease (the Aztecs were not resistant to

smallpox)

• Horses (these beasts fascinated and terrified the Aztecs and the Spanish used cavalry to attack)

• Strong leadership with excellent strategy

The Spanish Strategy• The earlier mentioned Conquistadors’ Formula

with several important ‘sub-strategies’:

•Use an intermediary to communicate with the Indigenous groups

• Rally smaller Indigenous groups to join the fight against the Aztecs• Conquer any group that does not want to join

the fight

The Aztec Strategy• Moctezuma was aware that the Spanish were

approaching• He waited and thought about what to do upon

their arrival• When the Spanish arrived, Moctezuma decided to

allow them to enter Tenochtitlan….

• Read ‘Exploring Sources’ p. 231

Moctezuma invited

Cortés and his forces to live in

the palace of

Moctezuma’s father

• Now the Spanish see the Aztec’s wealth

• This creates an even stronger desire to lead this mighty society - and they eventually do…

• Read pages 232-233

Fig. 10-24p. 231

First Contact: the “Old World” and the “New

World”

Summary of the Battle for Tenochtitlan• Spanish place Moctezuma under house arrest in

his palace• They then looted the royal palaces and forced

Moctezuma to declare himself a subject of Spanish rule

• The Spanish then have to go ‘deal’ with the arrival of new Spanish troops on the coast• While Cortés is gone to the coast, the men he

leaves in charge of Tenochtitlan massacre some Aztec people

• Cortés returns to uproar in Tenochtitlan – he forces Moctezuma to speak to his people to calm them down, but it doesn’t work – they threw stones at him• Moctezuma dies shortly after this

• The Aztecs attack the Spanish and their allies, killed many of them and drove the rest out of Tenochtitlan

• After 6 months, Cortés to attack Tenochtitlan with a stronger force, but finds that a smallpox epidemic killed a HUGE amount of the Aztec population

• The Spanish cut the aqueducts to the city, then defeated the Aztecs after an 80 day siege

• Cortés then laid the foundations for another Spanish colony in its place

And with that, the great Aztec Empire ceased to exist

The Fall of the Aztecs: Summarized

• The Aztecs hear of strangers arriving on the coast

- Cortés and the Spanish build a colony on the coast

- Cortés and the Spanish march inland to Tenochtitlan, meeting other Indigenous groups along the way

- Emperor Moctezuma allows the Spanish to enter Tenochtitlan

The Fall of the Aztecs: Summarized

• The Spanish place Moctezuma under house arrest and force him to declare himself a subject under Spanish rule

• Moctezuma dies• The city of Tenochtitlan is

destroyed by the Spanish• The Spanish build a

colony in its place

.

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