Spain In America Chapter 2, Section 2

Spanish Conquistadors After Columbus’ discovery, there was rush of new explorers heading to the “New World” Conquistadors were Spanish explorers of the 1500’s. Spanish rulers (kings) gave conquistadors the right to explore and establish settlements in the Americas. Spanish rulers would also fund these expeditions.

QUESTION: In what ways did Spanish rulers help fund the expeditions of conquistadors?

ANSWER: Spanish rulers would help fund expeditions in several different ways. Rulers provided conquistadors with ships. Rulers would provide conquistadors with needed supplies such as food, weapons, gun powder and men (crew).

QUESTION: Why would Spanish rulers (kings) want to help fund these expeditions to the Americas? How would rulers benefit from the expeditions?

Answer: Rulers were able to benefit several different ways. Kings made conquistadors sign a contract (agreement). The contract stated that conquistadors had to give the king 1/5 of any gold or treasure discovered. New settlements would allow Spain’s empire to grow. Growth would also increase trade.

QUESTION: How would conquistadors benefit from their expeditions?

ANSWER Most conquistadors were given the right to govern (control) the areas they settled. Conquistadors could gain wealth. They were allowed to keep 4/5 of any gold and treasure they happened to find. FAME: They became the celebrities of the time. (Columbus is the most famous man in the world)

Hernan Cortes A Spanish conquistador named Hernan Cortes landed on the east coast of present day Mexico in 1519. Cortes, like most conquistadors, was in search of gold and glory.

Hernan Cortes Cortes arrived with a fair size army. He had 11 ships, 500 soldiers, 20 horses, 10 dogs and several cannons. Cortes soon learned about the great Aztec empire and the capital Tenochtitlan.

Hernan Cortes Review Question: How would you describe Tenochtitlan? How would you describe the Aztec civilization?

Hernan Cortes Prior to Cortes reaching Tenochtitlan, Aztec scouts reported to Montezuma (Aztec ruler) that strange light skinned men were approaching the Aztec capital. The scouts told Montezuma that these light colored men rode on the backs of large deer. They also told Montezuma that they had strange beasts.

Hernan Cortes

Hernan Cortes On his march towards Tenochtitlan, Cortes formed alliances with local native tribes. Question: Why would local tribes want to become allies with Cortes on his march to Tenochtitlan?

Hernan Cortes When Cortes reaches Tenochtitlan he does not meet Aztec resistance! Montezuma and the Aztecs believed that Cortes was a “white god” named Quetzalcoatl (Aztec god of agriculture). Montezuma welcomed Cortes and his soldiers with food and showed them Tenochtitlan’s many palaces.

Montezuma

Hernan Cortes Peace between Cortes and the Aztecs did not last for long. In June of 1520 Cortes takes Montezuma prisoner within the city of Tenochtitlan. The Aztec population becomes restless and violent. They trap Cortes and his men in the main palace.

Hernan Cortes Cortés forced Montezuma to try and pacify the people from the rooftop of the palace, but the emperor was forced to retreat under a hail of stones and arrows. Montezuma, thus was accidentally killed by his own people when he was struck by a stone.

Hernan Cortes One night, the Spaniards tried to flee unnoticed, but they were discovered. A call went out and canoes began to close in on all sides. The Spanish soldiers tried to press forward, and in the confusion, many of the Spanish soldiers fell into the canal. Roughly 100 Spanish soldiers died. Many of them die from drowning in canals……They were weighted down with gold!

Hernan Cortes Hernan Cortes manages to escape Tenochtitlan. He promises to return and conquer the Aztec empire.

Hernan Cortes In 1521 Hernan Cortes returns to Tenochtitlan and conquers the Aztec empire. QUESTION: How was Cortes able to come back almost six months later and conquer the Aztec empire?

Hernan Cortes

Hernan Cortes Answer: Despite his initial defeat Cortes was able to return and take Tenochtitlan by: Waiting for Spanish reinforcements. Using his Native American allies. The Aztecs became infected with disease (smallpox)!

Hernan Cortes When Cortes returns to Tenochtitlan and completely loots the city. Many Aztecs were captured and held as slaves. The Aztec Empire disintegrated and Spain seized control of the region.

Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro The conquistador Francisco Pizarro sailed up the Pacific coast of South America with about 180 Spanish soldiers. Pizarro had heard stories of the wealthy Incan empire. Pizarro lands in modern day Peru in 1532.

Francisco Pizarro After making a successful landing, Pizarro and his crew began to march inland in order to meet with the Inca emperor, Atahualpa. As luck would have it, just before Pizarro arrives, the Inca society had been locked in a very bloody civil war between Atahualpa, and his half brother, Huascar.

Francisco Pizarro This civil war left the Inca society almost in chaos and Pizarro would soon be able to take advantage of this fact. Pizarro tricks the Incan leader.

Francisco Pizarro Pizarro invited the emperor to join the Spaniards at their camp and Atahualpa decided to visit these strange men. As a sign of good faith, Atahualpa instructed the soldiers who were to come with him to be unarmed. Pizarro took advantage of this and slaughtered all of Atahualpa’s troops. Pizarro then kidnapped the emperor and ransomed him for millions of dollars worth of gold and silver.

Atahualpa

Francisco Pizarro When the ransom was paid, Atahualpa was executed and Pizarro and his men began to march towards the Inca capital Cuzco. Now that the Inca people were without a ruler, they never really stood a chance against Pizarro.

The Incan empire fell in 1533. Smooth move, Spanish Jerkface

How Did Spain Succeed Conquistadors were successful in Mexico and Peru for several reasons: The Spanish had powerful weapons (guns and cannons). Native Americans thought these conquistadors were gods! They rode horses and had ferocious dogs. Many natives helped conquistadors. Disease

Spain in North America Mexico and Peru were rich in gold and silver. Hoping to find similar wealth, conquistadors began exploring parts of North America.

Juan Ponce De Leon Governor of Puerto Rico Natives spoke of a sacred place called “Bimini” Bimini held a fountain that restored youthfulness and produced immortality.

Ponce de Leon In search of this mysterious fountain, de Leon unintentionally lands in North America Juan Ponce de Leon becomes the first European to step foot in ‘modern day’ America.

Ponce de Leon In late March of 1513, his ships landed on Florida's east coast near present-day St. Augustine. He claimed this beautiful land for Spain. Since he had discovered this country of lavish landscape and beautiful beaches, he was entitled to name it. He named it La Florida (LAH flow REE dah) or "place of flowers."

Ponce de Leon Ponce de León continued down the east coast of Florida and along the keys until he arrived at an island that had many turtles. He named the island Dry Tortugas because there was no fresh water on the island and “tortugas” means “turtle” in Spanish.