Conquest in America

Chapter 3 Section 1

Objectives1. Analyze the results of the first encounters between the Spanish

and Native Americans

2. Explain how Cortés and Pizarro gained control of the Aztec and Incan Empires

3. Understand the short and long term effects of the Spanish on the peoples of the Americas

I. Conquistadors

What are Conquistadors?– Spanish Explorers– They were searching for Gold– Advantages

• Guns vs. Arrows• Metal Armor vs. Padding• Horses vs. Nothing

– Disease• Small pox• Measles• Influenza

– Natives had no immunities to these diseases

II. Hernando Cortés

1519– Lands on the coast of Mexico– Moves to Tenochtitlan

• Aztec Capital

Montezuma– Aztec Emperor– Thought Cortés was Quetzalcoatl

• The pale skinned, bearded god from the east

Tenochtitlan Falls– Montezuma welcomes Cortés into the city– Montezuma is then imprisoned

• Cortés forced Montezuma to sign over his land and treasures to the Spanish

– New conquistadors challenge Cortés• Leads to battle • Aztecs push out the Spanish

– Cortés returns with new Indian allies, destroys Tenochtitlan

– Mexico City is raised on its ruins

III. Pizarro and Peru

Francisco Pizarro– Interested in the Inca Empire– Atahualpa

• Incan King• Refused to convert to Christianity• Pizarro Captured him and slaughtered thousands of Incas• Pizarro demanded a huge ransom for the Incan King

– It was paid, and Pizarro killed him anyways

– Pizarro’s conquest of the Incas led to huge land holdings for the Spanish in South America

IV. The Effects of the Spanish Conquistadors

End of the World– To some, the coming of the Spanish marked the

end of the world

Conversions– Christianity was showing to be stronger

• The Christian God was more powerful than the Native gods

– The idea of “If you can’t beat them, join them”• Convert and their sufferings would end