Hernando Cortes
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Santo Domingo (aka Dominican Republic)
Interpret What kind of man is Velaquez? How do you know?
Cuba
Sailing from Cuba… …to Mexico
Thinking Back… In past cultures we have studied, what happened when Europeans travel to “discover” or explore a “new” place? What is the interaction like between the native people and the European settlers?
February of 1519
Present-day Cozumel Island, Mexico
Potonchan (present-day Tabasco)
Veracruz
Aztec Empire
Aztecs greet Spanish
Cortes sunk his ships
Thinking Ahead What do you think Cortes is going to do? What is his plan?
Old Map
Cortes
Cortes arrives in Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital
Moctezuma II
Inferring? What do Moctezuma’s actions say about his values?
Cortes takes Moctezuma II captive
You are Cortes You have the capital city of the Aztec Empire under control and have taken their leader captive. The Aztecs are unhappy with you and now a fleet of the Spanish army is sailing to arrest you. What is your plan?
Cortes attacks Spanish
You are the Aztecs These strangers have come into your city. Your leader gave them your gold and other precious gifts, and these strangers took your leader hostage. Now, the leader of the Spaniards, Cortes, and 300 of his best soldiers have gone to battle the Spanish army at the shore 200 miles away, but left the rest of his army in your city. You are angry with your leader for letting them in and angry with the Spanish for trying to take over your empire. What is your plan?
Aztecs attack Spaniards
Cortes attacks
Follow-up Questions Based on the story, what was the Aztec Empire like before the Spanish arrived?
Follow-up Questions If Cortes and the Spaniards never entered Mexico, how might Mexico be different today?