Competition and Exchange In The Wake of Columbus

Competition and Exchange Within months of Columbus’s return, the pope in Rome issued a decree – Inter Caetera This meant he viewed the whole world as the rightful inheritance of Christianity. It divided the world between two powers – Spain and Portugal.

Competition and Exchange

Cortes in Mexico In 1519, Cortes and the conquistadores reached Tenochititlan, the Aztec capital Moctezuma was uncertain about the Spanish, but welcomed Cortes as a returning god named Quezacoatl.

Cortes in Mexico The Spanish only had 600 men, but they had several advantages over the Aztec – 1. Guns and horses; terrified the Aztecs. 2. Spanish recruiting of allies. Why did some Aztec join the Spanish?

Cortes in Mexico The Spanish also faced obstacles, but sickness worked in favor of the Spanish. Smallpox epidemic swept Tenochtitlan in 1521 C.E. This allowed Cortes to conquer the city and he renamed it Mexico City. Claimed the entire area and called it New Spain.

New Searches in the Americas In 1531 C.E., Spanish raiders set sail from Panama to Peru – why? Francisco Pizarro only had 180 men and 37 horses. Smallpox, again, helped the Spanish accomplish their mission by capturing Cuzco in 1533 C.E.

New Searches in the Americas Spain then went west from Mexico; had their eyes on the Philippines. Panfilo de Narvaez; Cuba to Florida in 1528. Wanted wealth and glory; but out of 400 men, only 4 survived. Why?

New Searches in the Americas Of those 4 survivors, one was Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. He wrote a remarkable odyssey of the journey called Relation in 1542 C.E. – now considered a classic.

New Views of America While C de Vaca was writing his narrative, other Europeans initiated expeditions to North America. 1534 to 1543 C.E. began would become one of the most extraordinary times for Europeans and Native Americans. Why?

New Views of America