1. European Exploration Unit 9

2. I. European Exploration A.Why travel? 1.Europeans developed taste for Chinese and Indian trade goods. a. Needed cheaper and faster ways to get there. B.Portugal (1 st to explore) 1.Prince Henry the Navigator a.Slowly sent ships out exploring African coast ii. Though he could get ships around Africa- didn’t realize how big is was though. b.Opened a school to train navigators c.He died but Explorers continued (1466)

3. 2. Bartholomeu Dias (1488) a. Rounded the Cape of Good Hope 3. Vasco Da Gama (1498) a. Reached India for Portugal i. Established trade route and colony C. Spain 1. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella a. Hired Columbus to find new trade routes to India. i. Gave him 3 ships: Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

4. 2. Christopher Columbus a. Big Plan had 2 errors i. Though Atlantic was much smaller ii. Didn’t realize N. and S. America were in the way. b. What did he find? i. Ended up in the Bahamas ii. Called natives Indians (the name stuck. iii. Searched for gold but found little iv. Took three more trips and started a colony.

5. II. Aztecs A.Capital: Tenochtitlan 1.In Valley o Mexico 2.Island city in middle of lake 3.Population 200,000 (bigger then any European city) B.Religion: Poly-theist 1.Believed the sun might not rise each day 2.To keep sun happy, they offered it continual human sacrifice C.Temple 1.Pyramids where Aztec priests would perform human sacrifices a.Would cut beating heart out of victims 2.Sacrificed 80,000 to dedicate new temple in 1487

6. D. How did the Aztecs operate? 1. Had a huge advanced empire in Mexico 2. Fought continuously with neighbors a. Needed prisoners to sacrifice 3. Conquered land paid taxes and gave people to sacrifice a. Didn’t make the Aztecs popular E. Different Classes 1. Emperor: Ruled and considered part God 2. Nobles, Priests, and Government officials 3. Merchants and Commoners 4. Slaves

7. III. The Spanish Come to Town A.Hernan Cortez: Spanish Conquistador 1.Arrives in Mexico: 1590 a.Has 600 men w/ him looking for gold. i. People laughed at the small number of soldiers b.Learns of Tenochtitlan and wants it i.He burned his ships and said he wasn’t leaving until it was his. ii.Obtained an Indian mistress, who serves as his translator. Her name was Malinche (which means the betrayer) c. Made friends with near by Indians i. They hated the Aztecs

8. B. Montezuma: Emperor of the Aztecs 1. Heard of Cortez a. Worries he might be a god b. He sent him gold and invited him to Tenochtitlan. i. Dumb move. ii. Cortez walked right in to the city and made Montezuma his captive and takes over the city. C. What happens next? 1. Cortez left for the coast and left 200 men. a. Axtecs revolted 2. Cortez comes back and makes Montezuma go calm the crowds. a. Montezuma is stoned to death b. Cortez flees

9. D. How does it end? 1. Cortez returned w/ all of his troops. a. Built boats and sailed across the lake and attacked. b. The battle lasted three months i. Aztecs had been hit hard by the Smallpox ii. Spanish had steel armor, swords, and guns c. Cortez conquers the city. d. The Spanish destroyed all Aztec building i. They built a Cathedral where the temple was ii. Renamed Tenochtitlan to Mexico City