1. 5.1 Europeans Reach the Americas

2. Asian Spices and Chinese Silks
Europeans wanted Asian trade goods – fine silks for clothing and spices to preserve and improve their food.
Overland trade routes were dangerous
As a result, in the late 1400’s nations in Western Europe raced to find an all water route

3. Christopher Columbus
An Italian sailor, Christopher Columbus believed that the could reach Asia by sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
Although he was Italian, he sailed for Spain.

4. The Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria
Three ships were given to Columbus by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella from Spain
On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail and reached the Bahamas on October 12, 1492
He mistakenly landed on the continent known as North America

5. Spanish Conquest of the Americas
Spain’s rulers waned to expand their Empire by taking control of the Americas
Spain wanted to add to their wealth and spread Christianity
Spain sent conquistadors to explore. Soldiers and adventurers in search of glory, gold and land.

6. Cortes Marches through Mexico
In 1519, Hernan Cortes and his troops sailed from Spanish Cuba to the eastern coast of Mexico.
He was told of the vast wealth of the Aztec empire and wanted to find and conquer them.

7. The meeting of Moctezuma II and Cortes
The Aztec had large amounts of gold, precious gems and silver.
Moctezuma gave Cortes peace offerings from his treasure, but it was not enough
Cortes took Moctezuma captive and began planning on how to conquer the Aztec.

8. Cortes conquers the Aztec
In May of 1521, the Spaniards and their Indian allies took Tenoctitlan.
After a long and brutal fight, in August of 1521, they defeated the Aztec. Many of the Aztec were killed or enslaved and Tenoctitlan laid in ruins.
Much of the great wealth was sent back to Spain and Cortes built Mexico City.