yeah, a car well above you. Right, no little modeled quitters.
The year was 1519. The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was the most powerful
city state in middle America and its rulers collected tribute from all the
other tribes of Central Mexico.
The year was 1519. Aztec legend said that in this year the priest King
kettle Cottle would return from the sun kessel coital with his fair hair
and beard.
Montezuma, the second emperor of the Aztecs was increasingly upset by
omens signs which told of impending disaster for the Aztecs. What were
these omens? Well, a rival ruler predicted that the land of the Aztecs
would be ruled by strangers. He was so sure of himself that he bet his
kingdom against three of Montezuma's fighting cocks. A ritual ballgame was
played to decide the winner and Montezuma lost. Then Aztec history tells
us that hunters trapped a fabulous bird with a mirror in its head and
brought it to Montezuma and his peers. First, Montezuma saw a sky in the
mirror and then he saw an army of soldiers. The people of Tenochtitlan
were frightened. They felt that something was going to happen and far away
to the east something was happening, stirred by stories of gold and
fabulous wealth. A small group of spanish adventurers set sail in search
of glory and gold. Their fleet landed first at yucatan and then sailed
north to Tabasco. Their leader was Hernan Cortes and he had a dream not
only a finding great wealth but also of creating a new world. Utopia.
Cortez would bring the religion of Spain to the indians and he would build
a society based on the best elements of both civilizations.
Thus, Cortes began a conflict between two cultures. In this lesson, we'll
examine the conquest of Mexico. Well look first at the military campaigns
in which the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs and then we'll discuss the
effects of the spanish conquest on the indian cultures. Cortes had a
stroke of luck At the beginning at Tabasco, he met an extremely
intelligent indian girl. She spoke several indian languages and she
learned spanish quickly. She accepted the catholic faith of the Spaniards
and joined their expedition. Her name was Malinche and the Spaniards
called her marina. She became one of the strongest weapons the invaders
had for she understood the politics and hatreds that divided the tribes of
Mexico. The fleet finally landed near the modern city of vera Cruz where
Cortez set up his first headquarters from there. A few 100 soldiers with
some horses and cannons set out on their greatest adventure. Their goal,
the conquest of the indians of Mexico,
Montezuma believed that Cortes was the God Quetzalcoatl. Returning to
Mexico and the Aztecs reasoned that if Cortez were given gifts, he might
be satisfied and leave. So they came to vera Cruz with gold and feather
work from Montezuma, but Cortez didn't leave. Melinda told him of the
hatred. Other indian tribes fell for the Aztecs. She advised Cortez to
recruit indian allies and he was visited by the chiefs of a state, anxious
to be freed from their burden of tribute to the Aztecs, Cortes formed an
alliance with these people accompanied by a few 1000 indian warriors. The
Spaniards marched to the land of plucks Collins, the bitterest enemies of
the Aztecs,
but the fox Collins didn't welcome the invaders like people throughout
Mexico, that plucks Collins were terrified by the sound of guns. In the
sight of horses, the indians of Mexico had never seen such animals and
they thought that both man and horse were one creature.
The indian weapons were no match for spanish guns and artillery and
crossbows. Cortes defeated the trucks Collins easily and convinced them to
join the campaign against the Aztecs. Montezuma alarmed now invited the
spanish invaders and their indian allies to visit him. At Tenochtitlan, at
the gates of Tenochtitlan, Montezuma met the invading army. The troops
were given a palace in the city and Cortez was invited to stay at the
emperor's palace. The Aztec ruler was a pleasant host. He entertained the
invaders with elaborate festivals, but Cortes suspected Montezuma of
treachery and so the Aztec ruler was imprisoned. The Spaniards now control
the city, but then Cortes returned to vera Cruz for supplies, The people
of Tenochtitlan revolted when the commander left in charge ordered the
execution of 600 Aztec nobles. Cortes returned and tried to restore order.
Perhaps he thought Montezuma could control his people, Montezuma was a
victim of Cortez plans. As tech officials deposed, Montezuma and elected
his brother quit La WA Emperor Montezuma still convinced that Cortes was a
god tried to calm the people, but the Aztecs threw stones and shot arrows
at their former ruler. A few days later, the wounded Montezuma was
strangled by his spanish captors. In the vicious battle that followed, the
Aztecs were victorious. 2/3 of the Spanish troops and many priests were
killed. Many more Spaniards were wounded.
The defeated Spaniards were forced to retreat from Tenochtitlan during the
night. The no characteristic the sad night and legend says that Hernan
Cortes defeated and discouraged, wept under this cypress tree. Had the
Aztecs pursued their advantage that night, had they chased the Spaniards
beyond the confines of their city, it's more than likely they would have
destroyed the remnants of the spanish army. But Hernan Cortes was a man of
genius and determination. He led his men back to Tlaxcala to regroup to
get fresh supplies. To plan his next attack, Cortes would build a fleet of
boats, take them apart and rebuild them at Lake Texcoco. He would attack
and blockade the city of Tenochtitlan from the lake. For he knew he
couldn't capture the city by fighting his way across the heavily fortified
causeways. The plan was successful. The Spaniards and their indian allies
destroyed the aqueduct, cutting off the fresh water supply to Tenochtitlan.
They destroyed all the crops on the shores of the lake. They would starve
out the numerically superior Aztec forces.
The Aztecs were led by a new emperor. The heroic CUauhtemoc and they
fought to the death for they knew now that the Spaniards were not gods,
but ruthless invaders intent upon destroying Aztec Mexico. Finally, with
good luck, the Spaniards captured CUauhtemoc. The Aztec ruler was brought
to Cortez with full honors. Once the Aztec leader was imprisoned, the
military conquest of Mexico was virtually complete. Tenochtitlan fell on
August 13, 1521. But how could a few men conquer an army of thousands?
Well, it would be easy to say that indian weapons were no match for
spanish guns and cannons. And this is certainly part of the reason Cortes
and his men were able to conquer the Aztecs. But there were other reasons
as well. First of all, the indian allies of the Spaniards, the people who
had suffered at the hands of the Aztecs, they furnished most of the
infantry for the conquering forces and they provided other vital services.
They prepared and transported food supplies for the troops. They
maintained lines of communication and the police occupied areas without
their indian allies, the Spaniards would have been unable to coordinate
their activities.
Another factor that contributed to the defeat of the Aztecs was
psychological remember the Omens that had disturbed Montezuma because of
these Omens. The frightened Aztecs were convinced that they were doomed.
Before the fighting started, the Aztecs, Appeal to their gods for rescue.
Hundreds of victims were led to the sacrificial altars, but the gods were
not appeased. Even when the Spaniards sacked the temples, destroying the
idols and the alters, the Aztec gods remain silent. They did not strike
the invaders and the indians began to lose faith in the powers of their
gods.
A third reason for the defeat of the Aztecs was that their concept of war
differed from that of the Spaniards Compared to Europe during this era.
The Aztecs were a peaceful people. Only a few years earlier, the Spaniards
had won back control of their peninsula from the moors. After 700 years of
fighting countries all over europe had been involved in bloody conflicts.
During the crusades of the 12th and 13th centuries, European Christians
had fought viciously to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. There were
other conflicts. England and France fought the 100 years war from 1338 to
1453. Two years later, the war of the roses began In England. In each case
the warring factions believed that to win, they must destroy the enemy.
The Aztek concept of war was quite different to the indians of Mexico war
was a ceremony. The main purpose of each warrior was not to kill the enemy
in battle but to capture as many prisoners as possible. The indians didn't
understand the concept of total victory over an enemy mm. The political
system of the Aztecs also contributed to their defeat. The Spaniards were
able to take advantage of weaknesses and Aztec leadership. Remember an
emperor had no power unless he had the support of the tribal council. When
Montezuma was taken prisoner, the council abandoned him and his power over
the people disintegrated.
Finally, the Spaniards conquered a sick and dying population. The indians
of Mexico had no immunity to diseases brought from europe Epidemics of
smallpox. Measles, typhoid were so frequent that between 1519 and 1656,
7th of the Indian population died. They died of the european diseases and
they also died of starvation. Even before the Spaniards arrived, the
population of Mexico had begun to outgrow the available food supply And
there were severe famines. In the early 16th century, the Spaniards put
additional pressure on the land and they introduced livestock to Mexico,
Spaniards and indians alike began to use valuable agricultural land to
raise sheep and cattle. So
a combination of factors contributed to the defeat of the Aztecs superior
spanish weapons and the use of indian allies. The fears of the Aztecs and
their concept of war. The disease is imported by the Spaniards and a
shortage of food.Hello