1. Warm-up #7 What were some cultural advances made by the Aztecs?
Why did the Aztec empire fall?

2. CH 12.1 Review
3. What challenges did the Aztecs face when they settled in the Valley of Mexico?
When the Aztecs arrived, most of the good land was already taken. They had to find a place to live where they could grow food.
4. How did the rule of Montezuma II cause unrest among the peoples of the Aztec Empire?
He demanded more tribute and people to sacrifice. This made the Aztec people rebellious.
5. What were the purposes of the two Aztec calendars?
The religious calendar was used to plan ceremonies, and the farming calendar was used to plan the planting and harvesting of crops.

3. CH 12.1 Reviews 6. Why are Aztec codices important to historians?
Codices visually show first hand accounts of how the Aztecs lived and what their government was like.
7. How were the Aztecs able to develop large urban centers, such as Tenochtitlan?
The development of the chinampas produced plentiful food, which allowed cities like Tenochtitlan to develop into urban centers with large populations.

4. What happened when the Spanish came to the Americas?
Essential Question
What happened when the Spanish came to the Americas?

5. Cortez, the conquistador
The Spanish Arrive
Cortez, the conquistador
WORLDS COLLIDE

6. Cortez Cortez arrived in Mexico in 1519.
He fit the description of the god Quetzacoatl and began pretending to be him.
Cortez arrived in the same year the prophecy said Quetzacoatl would return.

7. The Holy Company
Cortez landed with about men, a number of fighting dogs, guns, and 20 horses.
He recruited many Mexican tribes who did not like the Aztecs.
He marched into Tenochtitlan, captured Montezuma and took control without much of a fight.
The Aztecs did not stay peaceful for long.

8. La Noche Triste (The Sad Night)
262Cortes left tenoch to fight off some spanish soldiers who had come to arrest him for insubordination
While away the Aztecs had a religious festival.
Cortez’ governor alvarado shut the doors the temple and massacred everyone inside, the spanish say they were stopping a sacrifice and rebellion, the aztecs say they just wanted gold.
The whole city heard about it and prepared to assault the spanish in the temple
Cortez returns and has moctezuma speak to the people to stop the rebels
They don’t listen. Moct is hit with a rock and dies 3 days later.
Cortes decides its time to leave. They load up as much gold as they can, silence their horses feet and leave the temple at night.
They crossed a couple rivers but were then seen by an Aztec. An alarm call went out.
A full battle erupts as the spanish fight to escape.
They make it out finally but hundreds of spanish and thousands of aztec are dead.
Before long cortes would return.

10. Hey guys, I’m back!
Um… guys? Uh oh… what did I miss?

11. Boo! You’re a loser! Eat rock!
Here is your king! Listen to him!
Stop this fighting at once! There must be peace!
Boo! You’re a loser! Eat rock!

12. Aahh! He’s down! Run away!

14. The Sad Night
While Cortez was away the Spanish slaughtered many unarmed Aztecs during a religious ceremony.
The Aztecs were, of course, very angry and fought back.
The Aztecs attacked and the Spanish ran away.
But that was not the end…

15. Brain
Snack . . . .

16. Moctezuma
moctezuma 16

17. The End. While Cortez was gone a disease weakened the Aztecs.
Smallpox wiped out nearly half of the Mexican population.
Cortez and his army of Mexican allies were able to conquer the rest in a short time.