Why Did Cortes Convert The Aztecs

The first source is a website created by Khan Academy. The main idea of this source is that disease can overcome the mightiest of civilizations. This main idea is supported by the quote “At the beginning of the sixteenth century, it was one of the largest cities in the world.” This quote shows just how big and powerful the city was at this time, and the quote “as well as the Spaniards' superior weaponry, their unfamiliar battle tactics and the devastation of the Mexica population by European disease. Mexico remained under Spanish rule until gaining independence in 1821 C.E.” it shows how many diseases really affected the civilization. My second source is a website created by Websters. The main idea of this source is that Aztec innovations affected

1. I. Introduction 2. A. Cortes conquers Aztecs B. Pattern of conquest, continuity and rebuilding 1. Spanish tried to utilized Native resources similarly a. Used materials from ruins to build own houses b. Used similar forced labor system c. Allowed to follow ancient customs 1.

The first major disease to find the New World was probably smallpox which broke out on Hispanola in 1518. As the Spaniards moved toward the mainland from the islands their diseases often proceeded them. One reason for this was a messenger bearing the news of the invasion to his people could carry the diseases as well as his message. With the arrival of Cortes in 1520 the smallpox virus was brought to Mexico and the Aztec nation. It has been thought that if the virus had not come when it did the Spanish invasion would not have been successful (Lunenfeld, 314). The Aztec leader of the assault against the Spanish invasion, as well as many of his followers, died after ordering the Spaniards out of Tenochtitlan. If the people would have continued with what they had started, they would not have been conquered for before August 21, 1521, the Spaniards were almost defeated. However in a siege that lasted seventy-five days the dead Aztecs from combat, starvation, and disease numbered into the 1000's (Crosby, 1972). The massive numbers of dead stunned the people so much that they were unable to react. The natives were not the only ones affected by the dead, however, for the

Huitzilpochtli was the sun god of the Aztec people. He fought his siblings for control of the sky. Huitzilpochtli thirst for blood. Human blood made him more eager for war. Huitzilpochtli was a mystic god of the Aztec. Because the Aztecs believed in human sacrifice, who believed in human blood gave their sun god power to fight the darkness. He was ready to conquer for his own ambitions to rule the Aztec empire. Cortes had his own ambition to conquer the Aztec Empire. Cortes was of Spaniard decent. He came to the Newland searching for wealth. He also devised a plan to conquer the Aztec emperor. Cortes army was more advanced then the Aztecs and he won the seventy-five day war. I believe that Huitzilpochtli and Cortes step toward conquering the Aztecs was far from the same. Cortes wanted to conquer the Aztecs because he saw wealth and fortune. He wanted to convert the Aztecs to Christianity so he could have this Newland he came upon.

The diseases that were brought over to the “New World”, includes Syphilis, Polio, Hepatitis, Encephalitis, and many other types of illnesses brought by the European. This had a great effect on the Indian population, the Indians started to contract the disease that the European had brought over and it was easily spreadable because of the air that they breath and also by touching one another could also spread the disease easily. Smallpox was an issue to Indians; it killed thousands of Indian population and was also considered to be the most deadly disease known. Sometimes small pox is misdiagnosed for some other type of

They made a loud clamor as they marched. this quote shows they had better weapons than the Aztec Empire, because the Aztec Empire only has weapons to kill animals and the occasional person. “For their coats of mail and their weapons clashed and rattled. Some of them were dressed in glistening iron from head to foot; they terrified everyone who saw them.” The spaniards were very intimidating to the Aztec empires eye, as is states in the text they were terrified, which they actually really felt. While this reason shows why the spanish won there is also another reason, and this reason states that the Aztec Empire got Sick from all the diseases that the spaniards brought over to the new world. The spaniards had brought over all kinds of diseases that the Aztec empire was not immune to. “But

One of the most important negative effects the Columbian Exchange had on the Natives lives was the introduction of many diseases to the New World. The Europeans brought diseases including smallpox, measles, influenza, and malaria with them. These diseases had a major impact on the Natives lives, killing up to 90% of the people in the New World. Medicines and vaccinations had not come to the New World yet, so no one was aware of how to cure these diseases. The Columbian Exchange had both positive and negative effects on the Natives; however, the Europeans also experienced benefits and

Europeans brought with them diseases that were foreign to indigenous populations and animals that had negative effects on the surrounding landscapes. Diseases such as smallpox, the plague, and typhus were common in past European society, causing the populations to eventually build up an immunity and resistance against these diseases. However, these diseases were unknown to indigenous populations, causing there to be no resistance, ultimately resulting in disastrous consequences. 90% of the indigenous population, equaling around 80 to 100 million people, were killed because of these diseases. European animals and livestock were also brought over to the new world, animals like horses and pigs helped indigenous societies by means of transportation and food source.

When Hernando de Soto came to the native Americans he spread diseases like smallpox and measles. Hernando

Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico. He was a hard work-restless man in Spain who was anxious for a life of adventure. So when he was 18 , he hopped on a ship & traveled to the new world. In 1511 , he joined an expedition runned by a man name Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. So when another conquistador, Juan de Grijalva , established a new colony on the mainland in early 1518, Cortés decided to take advantage. Cortes was appointed to the lead the expedition. Cortés sailed for the eastern shore of Mexico and arrived at Veracruz in July, 1519. As he approached the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, Cortés made alliances with other native people who had either been conquered by the Aztecs or was at war with them.

Smallpox--the disease that so ravaged Tenochtitlan on the eve of Cortes's final siege--was a particularly efficient killer. Alfred Crosby, author off 'The Columbian Exchange," likens its effect on American history to "that of the Black Death on the history of the Old World." Smallpox made its American debut in 1519, when it struck the Caribbean island of Santo Domingo, killing up to half of the indigenous population. From there outbreaks spread across the Antilles islands, onto the Mexican mainland, through the Isthmus of Panama and into South America. The Spaniards were moving in the same direction, but their diseasesoften outpaced them. "Such is the communicability of smallpox and the other eruptive fevers," Crosby notes, "that any Indian who received news of the Spaniards could also have easily received the

Secondly, a relatively minor cause for Cortes ' success was the issue of disease among the Aztecs. Although this was a fairly feeble reason it actually greatly benefited the Spanish in reducing the Aztec population. The Spanish brought smallpox to Mexico, said to be linked to an infected slave arriving from Spanish Cuba, which caused great suffering to the Aztecs. The Spanish were immune to the disease so it posed no threat to Cortes ' own men. The Aztecs were demoralized by the mysterious illness that killed Indians and spared Spaniards, as if advertising the Spaniards ' invincibility. One negative aspect for Cortes however was that his Indian allies suffered from the disease

The effects of the Spanish rule were felt over many years; for example, some believe that the fall of the aztec emperor Ahuizotl is due to disease. The most conservative estimates suggest that there were 250,000 people subjugated under Spanish rule; after a few decades only hundreds remained, many lost to disease. Bergreen explains: “Many died from infectious diseases caused by exposure to germs borne by the Europeans or their livestock, against which the inhabitants of the New World were defenseless.” The natives had absolutely no immunity to any diseases from the Old World. Columbus’ discovery of this New World indirectly led to the loss of the majority of native lives. The people lost one of their emperors, the highest ranking member of their society. The cargo which had caused this plague was livestock, along with rats and other foul creatures. They spread a virtual cocktail of infections and diseases, such as smallpox, influenza and various fevers, to which the native immune system had no response. With little possibility of fighting the infections, the natives were defenseless to the Spanish takeover. A hero is not one who’s companions ravage an entire

Hernán Cortés is an important Spanish conquistador who was responsible for the fall of the Aztecs. Cortes was born Medellin, Spain to a family of minor nobility. He chose to be part of the military in the new world. The age of exploration basically started with Columbus finding the Americas. In the beginning, Cortes moved to Santo Domingo in the west of the Indies. Couple of years later, he fought under the supervision of Diego Velazquez. Cortes was supposed to sail to the Yucatan in 1519, it was canceled because of the cost. Although Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire to make them join the holy faith of Christianity, his main priorities were searching for gold for himself and to become in power.

As the Spanish began to settle in Latin America, they brought with them diseases that