Conquest in the Americas Bringing the Old World to the New

Objectives Students will analyze the first encounters between the Spanish and Native Americans Students will describe the short-term and long- term effects of the Spanish on the peoples of the Americas.

Vocabulary conquistador: Spanish explorers who claimed lands in the Americas for Spain in the 14th and 15th centuries immunity: natural protection, resistance (to disease) Tenochtitlán: capital city of the Aztec empire, on which modern Mexico City was built alliance: formal agreement between two or more nations or powers to cooperate and come to one another’s defense civil war: war fought between two groups of people in the same nation

FIrst Encounters in the Americas Columbus’ journey opened door for Spanish exploration and expansion - begin cycle of encounter, conquest and death First encounters with native people found them to be ‘generous with what they have’ - to a fault But didn’t recognize Christian symbols and pay ‘proper respect’ - inferior Claimed land for Spain and took prisoners After - waves of conquistadors Settled islands of Hispaniola, Cuba and Puerto Rico

Guns, Horses & Disease Conquistadors seized Native Americans’ gold ornaments and forced them to pan for more; forced to convert to Christianity Massively outnumbered - hundreds of Spanish; millions of Native Americans Advantage: Guns and cannons; metal armor; horses Disease: Unknowingly infected and killed millions of Native Americans who had no immunity to diseases like small pox, measles, influenza, etc.

Cortés Arrives in the New World Eventually leave the islands of the Caribbean and probe the mainland One of the first was Hernán Cortés landed on the coast of Mexico with 600 men, 16 horses and a few cannons Begins drive towards Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán Gets aid of a local woman, named Maliche (later called Dõna Marina) - serve as translator and guide Arrange alliances between people the Aztecs had conquered

Moctezuma Dilemma Word spread of Cortés arrival and journey to the capital Aztec Emperor Moctezuma was worried that these pale-skinned, bearded strangers might be Quetzalcoatl Could Cortés be this God? Unsure. Tried to bribe him off from coming to Tenochtitlán - religiously important Cortés inspired to push on to reach Tenochtitlán - search for gold & silver

Tenochtitlán Falls Moctezuma welcomes Cortés to the city as guests Tensions rise - Spanish scorn Aztec religion and want to convert them; desire more of the riches Spanish take Moctezuma prisoner to force him to sign over land and treasure to the Spanish Same time - new group of conquistadors arrive to the East to challenge Cortés Aztecs drive Spanish out of city in confusion; half the Spanish killed as well as Moctezuma Cortés retreats, regroups and assaults Tenochtitlán - demolishes city Small pox is big reason for it’s fall

Pizarro in Peru Cortés’s “success” inspired other adventurers to pursue wealth and glory One such was Francisco Pizarro - interested in Peru’s Incas (reported to be greater than the Aztecs) Arrived in Peru in 1532 just after the Incan ruler Ahtahualpa had won the throne in a bloody civil war

Ahtahualpa Stands his Ground Ahtahualpa refused to bow to Spanish rule or convert Pizarro got allies from other Native American’s, captured Ahtahualpa and slaughtered thousands of Incans Demanded a huge ransom for Ahtahualpa - Incans paid Killed him anyway Pizarro overran Incan homeland - surge through Ecuador and Chile; before long most all of South America Pizarro killed by rival conquistadors after he established Lima as a capital city

Effects of the Spanish Conquistadors Great for Spain - with all this wealth brought back from the New World, Spain became the power in Europe in the 16th and early 17th century Native populations - not so good. Slaughter and disease had massively diminished their populations; demoralized - convert to Christianity through fear Cultural damage has yet to be trully assessed Precedence for other nations in the path of European expansion - fear Melding of cultures - sort of