Empires in the Americas The Fall of Two Empires
Jan 15, 2016
Empires in the Americas
The Fall of Two Empires
ObjectivesAztec Empire – basic beliefs, and influencesHernan Cortes – why is he coming to Latin AmericaHow did the Aztec’s view the SpanishWhat allowed the Spanish to overthrow a much bigger empireWho was Montezuma and how did the Aztec belief system lead to its demise
Pyramid of the Sun – birth place of the EarthTeotihuacan – location of Pyramid
(Tea-oh-wa-kon) – city state in power before Spanish arrive
Teotihuacan
Temple of Quetzalcoatl with magnificent heads of plumed serpents built into the walls were built for religious purposes.
Birthplace of Quetzalcoatl
-From Pyramid of the Sun – 5 Gods, the 5th God came down and built the Earth, he took on an Earthly Form and was named Quetzalcoatl “Plumed Serpent”
A calendar established based on the movement of Venus. Created a Venus War Cult ” to go to war to appease “Quetzalcoatl”
Blood Sacrifice of Warriors as part of war. If no blood is offered to the gods, the world will end
Teotihuacan’s city state in 600-500 BCE
Human Sacrifce was common to appease the Gods
Teotihuacan
_city state disappears but Tenochtitlan (Capital of Aztecs is only 30 miles away)
Toltecs 950 AD – City of Tula –where Quetzalcoatl re-took human form and was driven out of the city by religious priests.
Prophecy said he would return from the East (gulf of Mexico).The Toltec’s were also a empire located in the same geographical area as the Aztec’s The Aztecs take-up many of the belief’s of these two cultures…..
FALL OF THE AZTECS
Montezuma
Actual head-dress worn by Montezuma
Strangers on the Coast
MontezumaLeader of the AztecLives in Tenochtitlan Fears Quetzalcoatl• Aztec serpeant God expected to return to take his
throne• Pale skinned arriving from the East
Hears of pale skinned people on the coast• Thinks it Quetzalcoatl
Invites them to Tenochtitlan
Hernan Cortes1519 Cortes lands at Vera Cruz• Greeted as friendly by local people’s including a group fromTenochtitlán•Rival Spanish Army sent from Cuba tomake sure Cortes finds gold.•Cortes battles this army who have a slave with small pox…Cortes soldier contracts the disease…on the way backto Vera Cruz, the Aztec army overthrows Cortes, and contracts Smallpox…bringing it back to Tenochitlan….
Cortes the ConquerorAt first Montezuma’s messengers present Cortes with gifts when he lands
Cortes is not pleased• “Is this all?”
Captures messengers and fires cannons to scare themCortes tells them that he has a disease which can only be cured by gold
Cortes Arrives in Mexico
Cortes has heard rumors about cities of gold in North AmericaGovernor wants Cortes to claim land and look for gold in Mexico
Cortes leaves for “gold” land to the West
• 11 ships, 800 men• Horses, cannons, muskets and
war dogs dressed in armor
Malintzin the Interpreter
Native American princessShe could speak Mayan, Spanish and Nahuatl
The language of the Aztec
She became interpreter for Cortes
Cortes Marches Inland
Before marchingFounds Veracruz (city)Claims Mexico for SpainBurns his ships
• Prevents his men from retreating
Montezuma sends gold to have Cortes turn back
Cortes is more curious about how much gold the Aztec really have
Cortes in TenochtitlanArrives on November 8, 1519Montezuma gives Cortes the empire to command (thought he was Quetzalcoatl)
Hands him the keys to the cityCortes fears he may be lead into a trap
Cortes takes Montezuma hostage
Spanish melt all the gold into bars
Easier to transport8 million dollars worth
A New Spanish Ally: Disease
Aztec revolt against the SpanishMontezuma is killed by a rock thrown by his own people (probably)Drive Spanish out of Tenochtitlan
Diseases brought by the Spanish killed many Aztec
Smallpox and measlesAztec had never been exposed to diseases before
The Final Conquest
Cortes returns 10 months laterThousands of Native Americans, Spanish soldiers ready to fightAztec weapons no match for iron weapons and cannons
Aztec surrender August 13, 1521
Gold and treasures now belong to CortesOrders Mexico City to built where Tenochtitlan once was
Fall of the Incas
Atahualpa
Pizzaro and the Inca
Francisco Pizzaro attacks an Incan trading ship filled with silver and goldTrains Incan crew to be interpretersPlans his attack on the Incan Empire
A Broken Promise
1531, Pizzaro and 180 soldiers travel through South America
He learns that the Incan leader, Atahualpa, just finished fighting a civil war and is tiredPizzaro takes Atahualpa captive and demands a ransom for his freedomGathers $65 million – in goldPizzaro kills Atahualpa
The Fall of an Empire
Pizzaro sends soldiers to Cuzco, Incan capital, to capture itPizzaro sets his capital up in Lima, PeruTakes 40 years to capture and defeat all of the Inca
Great loyalty to their people