1. Spanish Conquistadors

2. So What Happened to the Aztecs?
To answer this question lets start with Aztec mythology…
Aztecs worshipped a god named Quetzalcoatl
Aztec mythology stated that this god would return from the east on a certain date…
The arrival of the Spanish conquistador by the name of Hernán Cortés in 1519 coincided enough with their legend that they thought Cortés was in fact Quetzalcoatl.

3. Quetzalcoatl Feathered serpent Creator god and god of the sky
Patron god of the Aztec priesthood
Also god of learning and knowledge
Was said to be against human sacrifice…

4. Cortés
As a result of this belief the Aztecs who made 1st contact w/ Spaniards on request of their king, Montezuma, initially greeted them hospitably & brought them gifts of gold.
Cortés in return gave them a demonstration of their superior weapons… guns, swords, cannons, horses…

5. The Conquistadors
Unfortunately for the Aztecs, Cortés & his men had been forbidden to go back to Cuba (where they were before crossing over to the Yucatan) under penalty of death
Cortés’ still had men loyal to the Cuban leader w/ him who conspired to steal his ships
In response, Cortés ordered the ships be sunk, which meant his best option now was to advance towards the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán
After all he was after gold and glory.

6. Secret Weapons Doña Marina & Geronimo de Aguilar
Cortés had w/ him two interpreters.
Aguilar who spoke Spanish & Mayan (he was a Spaniard who had been shipwrecked & a captive of the Mayans for several years)
Marina who spoke Mayan & Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs).
Through these interpreters Cortés was able to communicate w/ enemies of the Aztecs & nations conquered by the Aztecs who wanted to rebel against them for the heavy taxation levied on them by the Aztec Empire & for being used as human sacrifices in their religious rituals.

7. The Spanish Arrive
It is said that upon first sight of the Aztec capital that the Spanish conquistadors were left in awe.
Think of what a sight it would have been… floating gardens, a huge city with towering pyramids on an island in a lake. Thousands of Aztecs throughout the city… it has been estimated that Tenochtitlan had a population of somewhere around 200,000.

8. Cortés Enters Tenochtitlan
Cortés was amazed by the Aztec world, their food, their artifacts, their treasures.
However, he was horrified by their practice of human sacrifice…
Who else was against human sacrifice?

9. The Spanish Begin To Take Over
In November of 1519 Cortés & his men arrest Montezuma who they feared was plotting against them.
In the months to follow the Spanish would have to fight against uprisings by the Aztecs who were furious that their kind had been detained.

10. The Spanish Begin To Take Over
In one uprising over 600 conquistadors were killed & Cortés was forced to retreat away from the capital city.
This night is known as “the night of tears”
Cortés would return w/ the allies he had made & would find a severely weakened Aztec community.

11. The Fall of the Aztecs
The fate of the Aztecs might not have been so devastating had it not been for the diseases brought over by the Spaniards to which they had no immunities.
The deadliest of which was small pox which wiped out 10%-50% of the Aztec population…
W/ a larger army backing him & Aztecs weakened by disease, Cortés was able to capture Tenochtitlan in December of 1520 & destroy the great Aztec Empire.

12. Your Task Writing Assignment:
You will write a 1 page letter either from the view point of an Aztec or a conquistador about what happened.
So for example if you were writing as a conquistador you could include how you felt when you first laid eyes on Tenochtitlan, or when you first saw how many Aztecs there actually were.
If you write as an Aztec you could talk about the devastation small pox had on your people, or how impressive the Spanish weapons were.
Due next Thursday (10/7/10)

13. What you need Choose a side (who are you)
Beginning: Spanish arrive and thoughts on that
Middle: discuss Montezuma being captured and the uprisings taking place
End: Aztecs are conquered… what does that mean for you if you’re an Aztec? What does that mean to you if you’re Spanish or a member of a previously conquered tribe

14. What should be included…
Who are you?
Aztec citizen, warrior, King Montezuma
Member of Spanish Conquistadors, Cortés himself
What happened?
Include historical references discussed in class
Describe the battles
Describe the fear of the gods
Describe the horror of human sacrifice

15. Works Cited: