Hernán Cortés took an expedition out in 1519. He ignored orders from Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar to abort the voyage and continued. He was accompanied by 11 ships with plenty of men and weapons. Cortés conquering of the Aztecs started in August 1519 when he marched on Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. Making allys with indigenous people on his march to Tenochtitlan. When he arrived in Tenochtitlan in November 8, 1519, he was let in to the inner city. The Spanish brough smallpox that devestated the natives and reduced their forces. Eventually Cortés took Moctezuma hostage and ruled Tenochtitlan through him. When Cortés withdrew from Tenochtitlan, he cut off supplies and destabilized the city. This was critical and allowed the Spanish to conquer the land and destroy Tenochtitlan.
Historical Figures
- Hernán Cortés - Spanish explorer who led expedition into Mexico
- Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar - Governor of Hispaniola who initially commission Cortés's Voyage.
- Moctezuma - Aztec ruler
Significance
Spain's conquering of Mexico allowed it to get a foothold in the New World. This initial voyage paved the way for many more, especially gold seeking expeditions. It also marked the start of the massive amounts of destruction the Spanish would bring while conquering the New World. Artifact
Aztec Calendar - While the Aztecs were infantilized by the Spanish, they had complex culture and traditions.
Sources
"Hernán Cortés." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Cort%C3%A9s#Conquest_of_Mexico_.281518.E2.80.931520.29>.
"Fall of Tenochtitlan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Tenochtitlan>.
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