Throughout the history of the Americas, there have been numerous influential figures. They have shaped the landscape, fought for independence and freedom, brought about inventions which have forever impacted our societies, and even made mistakes which brought about poverty, racism, and wars which all could have easily been avoided. However, there are five figures from the early history of the Americas, who stood out to me due to their significant impact on society and on a growing continent as a whole. Hernán Cortés, was a Spanish conquistador who was best known for his triumphs in the Caribbean, and for the conquest of the Aztec empire. Cortes was responsible for sailing to Cuba under an expedition led by Diego Velazquez which took place while Cortes commanded 600 men to conquer the native peoples and claim the area for Spain. Cortes is successful in conquering Cuba, and paves the way for Havana to become a key port city for Spanish fleet to replenish before returning to Spain. As a result of Cortes’s conquest of Cuba, the language of the Taino Indians was dissolved in Cuba, with Spanish becoming the official language, and relics of Spanish colonial and military history in Cuba are still visible today in Havana. In fact, without the influence of Cortes, the Spanish crown may not have been inspired to sponsor sending slaves to Cuba to work in plantations and mines, and the spread of religious influence in Cuba would have been much more different and far less significant.
When Moctezuma met Cortes did not trust him at first. The reason being is because his looked very sketchy. But the Aztecs said to trust him. So Moctezuma trusted Cortes and passed the thrown down to him. The reason why it happened so fast they said that because there was a tail that said that one day their true leader so that’s what they thought about Cortes, he’s the one. From that point on it was fine until something happened. The Aztecs attacked Moctezuma. During the battle, Moctezuma was killed and at that very moment Cortes became the true leader and took his position. The aztecs lost that battle, they didn’t know how to react. The Aztecs became slaves for Cortes. All slaves were forced into becoming christians. Today, in spain, holds
I’ve heard that people wanted Hernan Cortes to be in a museum of historical explorers, but I'm here to tell you that he should not be in that museum of historical explorers for being another villain in history. So I hope that with this information, you don’t put him in your museum. He would be better known as an explorer with one goal, fame and fortune.
Pizarro and Cortés were two great men in the history of the world, men who made an impact in society and left their print for future generations. There have been many conquerors and discoverers that, like them, have contributed to the advances in the world made by the human race. Discoveries and conquers have been made all over the world, in every civilization, in every period of time. History books are full of people who, in a way or another, changed the world, either by finding a cure to a certain disease, by making an important
Hernan Cortez was a Spanish conquistador that landed in Mexico in April of 1519. Upon his arrival, he met a native woman named Dona marina. Dona marina spoke many languages and was eventually Cortez’s interpreter when he found the Aztec empire. It was because that the Aztecs saw Cortez as some god and the weapon differences that he took advantage of that and killed off everyone leading to a defeated Aztec empire Cortez eventually claimed Mexico for Spain. Cortez is important to history because he began the European
It’s been four months since the false prophet arrive at the shore. My people are weak from disease and my wife is dead. Why must I have to see my people suffer in vain? My lord, please answer me! Please make the suffering stop. For the love of everything that is holy, take my life but please let my people live. Because of my fault, my children are dead and your temple, the one that my ancestors built in your honor, is now destroyed. It is now covered in dirt and ashes and the blood of your village as if your name was not pure enough.
Explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto was born c. 1500 to a noble but poor family in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain. He was raised at the family manor. A generous patron named Pedro Arias Dávila funded de Soto's education at the
- Cortes actions played a vital role in helping establish Spanish settlement in the new world. He and his fleet of about 600 men traveled into Mexico in hopes of finding gold as well as glory. During his time in Mexico he persuaded Indian societies who were rivals of the Aztec Empire, to join his force to take over this mighty empire. He used terror and intimidation to do so along the way. After a few years he took down the Aztec Empire, which opened the door for other explorers to invade the new world as well in their hopes of finding gold as well.
As a young man hernan cortes studied law, but decided to seek a fortune in the recently found New World that Christopher Columbus had recently stumbled upon. Cortes ended up first in the island of Santo Domingo the Dominican Republic in 1504 when Cortes was only 19 years of age. Hernan stayed for 11 years but then he took part in the conquest of Cuba, the year was 1511. Cortes was appointed mayor of Santiago de Cuba up until 1518. Hernan Cortes had a taste of power and enjoyed it greatly and because of this his appetite for more conquests was immense. Hernan Cortes was a hero for joining two worlds and conquering the most powerful civilization of America. Some people thought Cortes was a villain for making the Aztec Empire disappear. Hernan
The capital of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, and what is known today as Mexico City was conquered in 1521 by the Spanish explorer named Hernando Cortez. Cortez was born Medellin, Spain in 1485. He was the only son of a noble family and his father was a captain in the Spanish army. He was fascinated with Christopher Columbus’ journeys in the new world. This was a far cry from his parents wish for him to be lawyer. Before reaching the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Cortes along with Diego Velazquez, were powerful figures in the island of Cuba. Their partnership soon ended when Cortes went against Velasquez’s wishes to marry his sister and sailed to the mainland of Mexico against his orders. On 1519 Cortez reached the harbor of central Veracruz (“True Cross”). He arrived with 11 ships, 15 horses and a fleet of 500 men in search for gold. Cortes soon learned that the land was ruled by the great Aztec lord in the city of Tenochtitlán: King Monezuma II.
-1A COMPARISON OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS ENCOUNTERED BY COULUMBUS ON THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH THE ENCOUNTERED BY CORTES IN THE MESO-AMERICA.
Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador which meant that he went out to conquer land with his army. He and his army were thirsty for gold, taking other people’s treasure to make it into theirs an example of that were the Aztecs. The Aztecs were people who had build a big empire in in Tenochtitlan and they had large amounts of gold but soon enough that empire was destroyed by Hernan killing and conquering people to the point that the Aztecs became afraid of the Spanish.Therefore, Hernan Cortes is a villain because of all of the pain and destruction he caused.
To begin with, Christopher Columbus had already landed upon the Caribbean Islands in 1492 and his arrival had led many other European countries to conquest and invade the Native Americans land. Hernando Cortes was initially assigned to go on an Expedition to Mexico by the Spanish royal government and landed on the Island of Cozumel in 1519. After sailing into Veracruz and taking over it through force he made his way through the city of Tenochtitlan. Carrasco writes that upon arrival of the Aztec capital the Europeans were wonderstruck by the enormous
Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro were explorers from Spain that sailed to the Americas and made many interesting voyages.They both faced separate challenges and difficulties along the way. During their difficulties Cortes and Pizarro acquired allies to help them on their expeditions. Cortez and Pizarro were both very fierce and conquered many areas.
Soldier and conqueror Bernal Díaz del Castillo in his book The True History of the Conquest of New Spain labeled Hernán Cortés “a valiant, energetic, and daring captain” and compared him to the likes of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Hannibal. Hernán Cortés was an ambitious conquistador and eventually defeated the mighty Mexican empire. A problem, however; emerges when distinguishing between the rational and romanticized versions of Cortés’ exploits. Bernal Díaz was present during the conquest, but his account was written much later and cannot be expected to be unbiased. Modern interpretations of Cortés can piece together all document and find that he stretched the truth to further his own gains. Cortés’ personality, goals, and actions have been interpreted differently since the days of the conquest, and have changed the way the conquest has been understood.
Cortes prepared for this expedition. However, Velasquez became regretful of his decision. He thought Cortes wanted to conquer the Mayans for his own personal gains. Velasquez attempted to change his orders, but it was too late. Cortes set sail and continued to put his fleet together. In 1519, Cortes explored the Yucatan coastline. Landing in Tabasco, Cortes captured the natives. Although, Tabasco people possessed little of value, they told Cortes of the great treasures of the Aztec Empire. Cortes moved his troops northward and conquered the port of Vera Cruz. In addition to, Cortes was making plans to advance against the Aztecs. He took a Tabasco woman and enlisted her help to supplement his army. Cortes used her to translate the native language to Aguilar. Aguilar was another Spaniard that had been shipped wreck at the port of Vera Cruz. He had learned the language of the natives. Aguilar translated the language to Cortes troops. They learned about the traditions of the Aztec people in Tenochtitlan. Cortes used this information he gathered to defeat the Aztecs. Finally, he convinced the native tribes to fight with him against the Aztecs. He knew he needed these allies to conquer the Aztec empire. With the knowledge of a myth about a white god, he was able to betray Montezuma II. “Quetzalcoatl was an Aztecan god. His name means “the feathered serpent” in the Nahuatl language. Quetzalcoatl was the patron of priests and the inventor of