1. The arrival of the Europeans in the Americas greatly altered life

2. European conquerors or conquistadors
like Hernan Cortes arrived in the Americas
for “God, Glory, and Gold.”

3. The Spaniards conquered the native
population, seized their gold and silver,
and converted them to
Christianity.

4. The Spaniards also brought diseases like the deadly smallpox disease.
The native population had never been
exposed to smallpox and died in great
numbers from the disease.

5. Small numbers of Spaniards - using horses and firearms and acting with
local allies – quickly overcame large
numbers of Native American Indians.

6. Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico in 1519
sailed to Mexico with 11 ships, some
500 soldiers, and 16 horses in search of
gold and silver.

7. Cortes met the Aztec emperor,
Montezuma.

8. The Aztecs believed that the Spaniards
were gods and showered them with
gifts. One Aztec legend claimed that one of
their gods would return one day from
the East. Initially, the Aztecs believing
Cortes was this god, welcomed Cortes.

9. The Spaniards eventually attacked the Aztec capital and killed
Montezuma. Finally, the Aztecs
surrendered. Spain had broken
the power of the once mighty
Aztec empire.

10. Francisco Pizarro arrived in modern-day
Peru in Pizarro and his men marched
toward the Inca capital and discovered that
the Incas were in the midst of a civil war.

11. The Incan emperor, Atahualpa, met the Spaniards with no weapons. The
Spaniards attacked the Incas and
captured Atahualpa.

12. Atahualpa promised to fill a large room with gold if Pizarro would
release him. He kept his promise
but Pizarro killed him anyway.

13. With the Inca emperor dead, the Incas surrendered. But Pizarro and
his men fought over the gold and
Pizarro was eventually killed by his
own men.

14. Conquistadors
Reasons
Cortes
Pizarro