1. What Gave the Spanish the Upper Hand?
A Deadly Meeting
What Gave the Spanish the Upper Hand?

2. Hernan Cortes, The Conquistador
Read p then consider the following reflection questions:
How was Cortes’ worldview a product of the time he grew up in Spain? (Reconquista, Spanish Inquisition, Gold & Glory, etc)
How do you think Cortes’ worldview will guide his interactions with the Aztec people?
What was the Conquistador formula for interactions with new peoples?
Think of someone who has good leadership abilities. What qualities do they possess? What qualities does Cortes demonstrate as a leader? Compare and contrast those lists with each other? Do you believe Cortes is a good or bad leader?

3. Cortes’ Route

4. Cortes with the Aztecs

5. Cortes with the Aztecs

6. In the words of Cortes…
“I know in my heart that we shall take vast and wealthy lands. We are waging a just and good war, which will bring us fame. Almighty God, in whose name in will be waged, will give us victory … if you do not abandon me, as I shall not abandon you, I shall make you the richest man who ever crossed the seas.

7. Cortes the Conquistador Sensory Figure
Complete your second sensory figure next to your Aztec Warrior
Remember to include what their “senses” (what do they see, feel, hear, smell, etc)

8. An Unequal Fight

9. An Unequal Fight
The Spanish brought muskets, cannons, swords, crossbows, and much more with them.
The Aztecs had never seen firearms before and through it was Thunder and Lightening.
Examine the chart on p. 223 & compare the Spanish & Aztec Weaponry
Who appears to have the upper hand?

10. The Importance of Horses
Aztecs had never seen horses before
Size, power and speed fascinated the Aztecs
The Aztecs were unable to compete, because they were only on foot
The intimidation factor alone would have been enough to create an unequal fight, let alone the other qualities which the horses possessed.
Speed, height, and brute strength

12. Disease…The Silent Weapon
The Aztecs had no immunity to European diseases
Diseases, such as small pox, destroyed their communities.
Within 5 years 5-8 million Aztecs would die from disease
15 million would die by the end of the Spanish Conquest
(first 4 minutes)

14. “The sick were so utterly helpless that they could only lie on their beds like corpses, unable to move their limbs or even their heads. They could not lie face down or roll from one side to the other. If they did move their bodies they screamed in pain. A great many died from this plague, and many others died of hunger. They could not get up to search for food, and everyone else was too sick to care for them, so they starved to death in their beds.” -Aztec account of epidemic

15. Think it Over
“How does this spread of disease connect to the colonization of North America you learned about in Social 7?
Why do you think Europeans weren’t suffering from Aztec diseases?

16. Invasion p

17. Invasion p
As we read together through this section in the textbook, pay special attention to the details given, and the incorporation of topics we discussed earlier (i.e disease)

18. Interactive Notebook Postcard
To wrap-up this section & check for understanding you will complete two postcards about the Spanish Invasion of Tenochtitlan
Each poster card will present a different perspective:
The Aztec perspective
The Spanish Conquistador Perspective
Your postcards should summarize what you’ve learned about this invasion, as well as make reference to a topic discussed earlier in the chapter
Ex: Difference in weaponry, use of horses, disease, etc.