1. Chapter 10
A Deadly Meeting

2. What we will learn:
How might differences in worldview contribute to the dominance of one culture over another?
What aspects of technology, religion, and culture might affect the meeting between the Aztecs and the Spanish?
How does a leader’s worldview affect his/her choices and decisions?
In what ways did technology and disease contribute to the Spanish dominance over the Aztecs?
How did the worldviews of the Spanish and Aztecs influence the strategies they used against one another?

3. Comparing Worldviews
Aztecs
Spanish
How are they similar? Different?

4. Chapter 10 includes:
A chain of events causing massive upheaval was about to hit the mighty Aztec world.
Change would be rapid and violent.
Contact between two peoples brought devastation to the Aztecs.
the-savaging-of-the-new-world.html

5. Hernan Cortes Born in Spain.
Believed the Inquisition had produced Spanish unity and stability.
Spain was a better place to live.
Idolized Columbus
Moved to the colonies when he was 19.
Desire for gold and fortune.

6. Conquistador means “conqueror”
term the Spanish leaders in the Americas used to describe themselves

7. Did You Know?!
Cortes’s desire for gold was the inspiration behind the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. A group of pirates are cursed after stealing Aztec gold from Cortes.

8. Cortes in the Caribbean
Given farm land in present-day Dominican.
Wanted gold instead.
Asked to join a mission to conquer Cuba
Did so with only 300 men.

9. The Conquistadors Formula
1. An expedition would set out from Spain or a recent colony (ex. Hispaniola).

10. The Conquistadors Formula
2. After landing in a new region, the Spanish would try to meet peacefully with the first group they encountered. The aim was to determine which group was the most powerful.

11. The Conquistadors Formula
3. The Spanish would invite the leader of the most powerful group to meet and exchange gifts. They would seize the leader and threaten to kill him unless his people obeyed Spanish orders.

12. The Conquistadors Formula
4. If they had to fight, the Spanish would do out in the open. Their horses, armour and weapons gave them a huge advantage.

13. The Conquistadors Formula
5. The leader of the expedition would remain as governor of the new colony, and his second-in- command would organize the next mission. The Indigenous people would be forced into slavery.

14. Richest Man Ever to Cross the Sea
Cortes remained in Cuba for 8 years.
Second in command to Governor Velazquez
Grew restless again (like in Spain)
Curious about the Yucatan Peninsula
Heard reports of another civilization (stronger, advanced, and wealthier)

15. Richest Man Ever to Cross the Sea
Velazquez financed the new mission
Scoured Cuba for soldiers and got loans to buy ships

16. Richest Man Ever to Cross the Sea
Velazquez tried to stop the expedition
Worried Cortes would get all the glory for discoveries and take authority over new lands
Cortes ignored Velazquez

17. Cortes Arrives in Mexico
Landed on coast of Mexico, established La Villa Rica de la Veracruz
Independent government established
Cortes now responsible to King Carlos I instead of Velazquez
Sent one ship back to Spain with treasure and sank other ten

18. An Unequal Fight Aztec Weapon Spanish Weapon War Club
Cut like knife but not through armor
Heavy, needed two hands
Sword
Double edged, pointy, sharp
Meter long, one handed.

19. An Unequal Fight Aztec Weapon Spanish Weapon Wooden Spear
Sharp wood heated by fire
Aimed for eyes and neck (close combat)
Halberd
Over 2 meters with spear, hook, and axe

20. An Unequal Fight Aztec Weapon Spanish Weapon Atlatl (Spear thrower)
Stronger than using arm
Also had bows, arrows, and slings
Crossbow
Shoot wooden arrows that penetrated armor

21. Unknown Weapons Muskets completely took Aztecs by surprise
Long rifle-like guns fired from shoulders
Brought cannons as well
Aztecs thought these weapons were thunder and lightning when they went off
Moctezuma sent ambassadors to find out what Spanish wanted
Cortes ordered men to fire weapons before the ambassadors left

22. The Horse Third military advantage was the horse
Aztecs had never seen horses before
Size, power, and speed fascinated Aztecs
Spanish were trained riders; could hold reins with one hand and weapon in another
Aztecs on foot couldn’t compete

23. The Role of Disease Spanish brought diseases from Europe
They had built up immunity and carried it through germs, clothing, animals, etc.
Aztecs had no immunity
Smallpox epidemic broke out
Killed large numbers of Aztecs, weakened ability to fight back

24. Invasion
Both Spanish and Aztecs were powerful, and used to winning battles
Aztecs collected tributes, which earned them enemies
Cortes marched inland, and befriended or conquered people along the way

25. Invasion: Using an Intermediary
Cortes defeated Tabascan people, given gifts of food, clothing, gold, and slaves
Young woman named Malinche given as slave
Gave Cortes what he needed to overcome Aztec empire

26. Using an Intermediary Link between Cortes and Moctezuma
Malinche spoke both Mayan and Nahuatl, learned Spanish
Became Cortes’ advisor and spy

27. March to Tenochtitlan Cortes adapted strategy along route
Totonacs disliked paying tribute, Cortes protected them in exchange for warriors
Tlaxcalans fought Spanish, Spanish fended off and made peace. Got soldiers from them
Choluans (loyal to Aztecs), conspired to attack Spanish. Spanish conquered Choluans

28. March to Tenochtitlan

29. Aztec Strategy
Moctezuma chose to sit back and wait to see what the Spanish would do, then make a decision
Waited until the Spanish got closer and closer

30. Battle for Tenochtitlan
Cortes and soldiers taken to live in a palace, were shown glories of the Aztec city
Saw market, gold and treasures
The wealth and the desire to lead caused Cortes to attack

31. Battle for Tenochtitlan
Spanish placed Moctezuma under house arrest
Looted gold and melted it down, forced Moctezuma to make himself subject of Spanish rule
But Spanish troops arrived from the coast by Governor Velazquez to arrest Cortes
Cortes left Tenochtitlan to deal with this, left Pedro de Alvarado in charge
He let the Aztecs hold a festival, but had troops massacre all the dancers

32. Battle for Tenochtitlan
Cortes defeated Velazquez and returned to Tenochtitlan
It was in an uproar, so Cortes forced Moctezuma to speak to his people to calm them down
They threw stones at him, and later Moctezuma died
Aztecs attacked Spanish and allies, killed some, and drove the rest out

33. Battle for Tenochtitlan
Cortes returned and attacked with a stronger force 6 months later
Smallpox epidemic killed 25% of Aztec population
Cut aqueducts, after a siege of 80 days, Aztecs were defeated
City was torn down, 60,000 Aztecs survived in the city
Cortes lay the foundations for a new Spanish colony

34. The Last Days of the Aztecs