The Spanish Conquer

Maria Briseno March 12, 2009 Dawn History

How Did the Spanish Conquer the Aztecs? Most people don’t know the real history of the Aztecs and how they were defeatedby the Spanish. In this essayI will talk about these things and other things too. The Spanish were able to conquer the Aztecs because they used the same things with the other tribes like the Cubans and the Hispaniola’s. They conquered the Mayans with their superior weapons and armor, horses, dogs, and diseases too. The Mayans were peaceful people so they didn’t use weapons like does and they had never seen doesweapons too. The Spanish gained a new friend after they fought with the Mayans, her name was Malintzin. She spoke Mayan and Nahuatland she would help the Spanish conquer the Aztecs. Motecuhzoma, king of the Aztecs, mistook the Spanish for Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec’s god that wasrumored to return. Instead of attacking, Motecuhzoma send gifts to the Spanish and welcomed themback as gods. Cortes insulted their gifts, terrified them with dogs, scared them by shooting cannons, and he put Aztecs in chains. Cortes plans his attacks on Tenochtitlan, he built a settlement at Veracruz, and he sank all Spanish ships except one that he sent to Spain to ask the king to support his plan. The Spanish were only hungry for gold and land but they used religion as an excuse for attack. The Aztecs finally realized that the Spanish were not gods, but before they could kick them out the city the Spanish took

Motecuhzoma hostage. Cortes went back to Yucatan and made the other Spanish part of his attack. So he went back to Tenochtitlan were they had took Motecuhzoma hostage. Cortes fought with cannons, muskets and crossbows. The Spanish killed Motecuhzoma. Smallpox killed many Aztecs. Cuauhtémoc was the last emperor of the Aztecs. He surrenders and was captured on August 13, 1521. That was the day Cortes conquers Tenochtitlan. I hope that the information I wave you help you understand how the Spanish conquer the Aztecs and what they used to make it happen.