1. The Conquistadors

2. First Encounters Columbus landed in the Caribbean in 1492
Conquistadors= conquerers
Settled on
Hispanola
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Spread many diseases: small pox, measles, influenza. Killed natives quickly

3. Small pox

4. Cortez Went to Mexico; conquered the Aztecs
Headed toward Mexico City with 600 men, 16 horses and a few cannons
Led by a young woman Malinche- she translated
Malinche told Cortez that conquered people hated Aztec overlords
Cortez alligned with these groups

5. Cortez Moctezuma was the Aztec chief
At first thought Cortez was an Aztec god
Welcomed him into the city
Aztec/Spanish relations strained
Aztecs drove the Spaniards out
Cortez left a few of his men behind while he went to get reinforcements
In the mean time, Moctezuma was stoned to death by his own people

7. Cortez Cortez retreated and went to Cuba for reinforcements
1521 he returned and defeated the Aztecs
Spaniards had taken Tenochtitlan
Later on built Mexico City on the site where the Aztec capital had been

8. Tenochtitlan
Mexico City

9. Pizarro Inca Empire lasted for 70 years Conquered by Pizarro
Comes right after civil war in 1532
Athualpa was the king
Pizarro captures Athualpa and holds him for ransom
Incas pay ransom
Pizarro kills him anyway
Incas no match for Pizarro; overruns empire

11. Myth of El Dorado El Dorado: means guilded one
Rumors that there was a Nat Am chief who covered himself in gold dust
Roots traced back to Andean Region of S. Am
Begins story that there is a lost city of gold
Sends explorers looking for this city

12. Motivation for Exploration
God
Columbus noted that the natives were easliy converted to Christianity
Looking for Christian followers
Gold
Native civilizations prized gold
Europeans noticed this and came searching for it
Glory: Explorers were considered heroes

14. Reasons for ease in conquering
Superior military technology
Divison and discontent among Native Americans
Disease
Indian beliefs