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Hern�n Cortes And Its Impact On America

Decent Essays

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.

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