Spanish Conquer Aztecs Hernando Cortés and his conquest of the Aztec Empire 1 Seventh Grade Social Studies Come learn about the Rise and Fall of the Aztec Civilization This is an interactive document! By using your Ipad, Ipod, smartphone, or Iphone and following the directions below, you will discover surprises waiting on the pages that follow. By Jill Kelly CI505 – Layar Final Iowa State University 1 2 ; Aztec Unit Kelly Moctezuma II Aztec Civilization Who were the Aztec? The Aztec began as a nomadic tribe in what is now northern Mexico. They referred to themselves as Mexicas. After 150 years of wandering, they finally settled near modern day Mexico City, They settled quietly between neighboring tribes, and some think they were considered outcasts. 2 Moctezuma II or Montezuma II reigned between 1502 -‐1520. He was the ninth ruler of Tenochtitlan. All rulers of Tenochtitlan had the title of “Huey Tlatoani” meaning “Great Speaker” and they were treated like gods. There are contradictory sources about Moctezuma II. Some call him “the arrogant emperor” and others referred to him as the “humble servant of Quetzalcoatl.” There is evidence that he established new customs breaking from Aztec traditions, which created friction between him and the other Aztec nobles. The Aztecs used their strong warrior culture to conquer other city-‐states. Three main city-‐states, Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan, were the center of the Aztec Empire. They formed the Triple Alliance, which ruled the Valley of Mexico until the Spanish arrived. How was Aztec Society Structured? The Aztec society was divided into three main social classes: the Nobles, the Intermediates, and the Commoners. The Nobles class included the Emperor, wealthy nobles, military leaders, and priests. This class lived a life of luxury. The Intermediate class was made up of merchants and skilled artisans. The Commoners were the farmers, fisherman, crafts people and soldiers. At the very bottom of the ladder were the slaves. What Do You Have in Common with Aztec Kids? Just like you, Aztec children were required to be educated. This was not a common practice for children in other parts of the world at this time. Girls learned skills tied to running a house, raising children, crafts, and how to manage household money. Boys learned skills in fighting, leadership, and the trades. Schooling was free and all children attended. Does this sound familiar? At its peak, the Aztec Empire reached from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and from what is now Northern Mexico to Guatemala. The Aztec reached its height between 1486-‐1502, with population estimates of over 3,000,000. 3 2 ; Aztec Unit Kelly Why are codices important? Like the Mayans, the Aztec created a system of writing using hieroglyphics. They used this written language to create hand written books on paper made from the bark of the Amati tree. These books were called codex (pl. codices). They wrote codices on many topics including sacred rituals, their calendar system, what offerings to bring for each ritual and how astronomy tells you when to plant. Unfortunately, only a few codices remain. The Spanish destroyed most of these books, when they arrived in the 1500’s. 4 How did Religion Influence the Warrior Class in the Aztec Culture? Religion was very important to the Aztecs, who were polytheistic; they served hundreds of gods and goddesses. They feared a natural disaster that would eventually destroy the empire. Were the Aztec civilized or barbaric? One of the most important Aztec gods, was Huitzilopchtli, he was the sun god of war. The Aztecs believed he needed blood sacrifice in order to keep disaster at bay. They performed both sacramental bloodletting and human sacrifice ceremonies. As fear of a pending disaster loomed, human sacrifices became more common. It is believed that under Moctezuma II human sacrifice increased dramatically. The Aztec Warriors actually engaged in war to capture prisoners for sacrifice, not land. The city-‐state Tiaxcala was often invaded and captives taken for ritual sacrifice. This later backfired on the Aztecs. Experts believe the yearly human sacrifice totaled close to 50,000 victims by the early 1500’s. 5 3 1 2 ; Aztec Unit Aztec Omens An Omen is a sign that is believed to foretell the future, often bringing change. It is said that Aztecs described eight omens that were believed to have happened in the nine years leading up to the arrival of the Spanish. The Omens 1. Fire seen falling from the sky. 2. Fire consumes the temple of Huitzilopochtil. 3. A lightning bolt destroying the straw temple of Xiuhtecuhtli. 4. The appearance of streaking fire across the oceans. 5. The “boiling of” and flooding of water from a lake near Tenochtitlan. Kelly Tenochtitlan The Capital City Filled Prophecy or Coincidence? The Aztec roamed for 200 years looking for a sign to build their city. According to legend, the Aztec sun god, Huitzilopichtli told them to build a great city where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake. 6 provided land to farm. One morning, a priest looked out over a lake and saw the sign, an eagle sitting on a cactus with a snake in its mouth, on a small island in Lake Texcoco. The name of this city was Tenochtitlan. It became the most powerful of the city-‐ states and was at the heart of Aztec civilization. This city was a major military power. By the time the Spaniard’s arrived it’s population exceeded that of most European cities. The Aztec proceeded to build their city on this small island. They build Chinampas (floating Islands) that not only expanded the island, but also The Aztecs conquered and enslaved much of the surrounding area. These actions eventually came back to hurt them. 6. A woman weeping in the middle of the night for them to flee while they could. 7. Moctezuma II saw images of fighting men in a mirror on the head of the strange bird caught by fisherman. 8. A two headed man running through the streets. 7 4 1 2 ; Aztec Unit Kelly 8 Hernando Cortés arrives in the Yucatan What role did Cortés, Moctezuma II and disease play in the fall of the Aztec empire? In 1519, the Spaniards, lead by Hernando Cortés, arrived in what is now Veracruz. Moctezuma II sent men to meet him with gifts. Cortés tried to frighten them with gunfire. The Aztecs left, but soon came back with more gifts. Cortés and his men move inland toward Tenochtitlan. During this journey inland, the Spanish formed an alliance with Tlaxcala, who for years were captured by the Aztec for human sacrifice. They also massacred the city of Cholula. Cortés claimed that they had treated him with disrespect, thus he had to punish them. Moctezuma II reluctantly invited Cortés to Tenochtitlan. According to legend, the Aztecs believed that the god Quetzalcoatl had gone east to join another god, warning that he would return to reclaim his kingdom. His return would mark the end of the Aztec Emperor. The Aztecs believed that this would occur in the year One Reed (which happened to be 1519) and that the god could come in many forms, including that of a bearded, light-‐skinned man.” Coincidentally, this was the same year Cortés arrived at Tenochtitlan, and he was pale-‐skinned. 9 5 ; Aztec Unit Kelly Hernando Cortés Montezuma welcomes Cortes Hernando Cortés was born in 1485 in Medellin, Spain. Around the age of 14, his parents sent him away to boarding school with hopes that he would study law. 11 Cortés did not like school and left after 2 years. The news of the “New World” intrigued him, so he became a solder. Cortés was considered ruthless, single-minded, and ambitious. His goals were power and gold. He would find these in the new world and spend his life seeking and losing them. 10 Whether Moctezuma II feared the return of the god or the Spanish show of force, it is said he welcomed Cortés with elaborate gifts. He invited the Spanish to stay at the royal palace, even though there was a potential danger to having the Spanish staying in the city. Another factor in the demise of the Aztec was disease. The Spaniards brought disease that the Aztecs and other native people had never been exposed to. Small Pox and Typhus quickly wiped out much of the Aztec population, possibly up to 80%. Over the following year, the Spanish would imprison Moctezuma II in his own palace, undermine the citizens of Tenochtitlan, and conquer and essentially destroy the capital city of the Aztecs. Moctezuma II was hit and killed by a stone thrown by his own subject. What caused the fall of the Aztec Emperor? There were many factors involved in the demise of the Aztec Empire. To begin with, the religious practice of human sacrifice, which created fear and hatred, eventually would undermine the loyalty and trust of the Aztec people and Dona Marina, was she a victim, a victim or a heroine? The Tabasco gave Cortés La Malinchen along with 20 women servants. La Malinchen, was later baptized Marina. Dona Marina was born into Aztec nobility and later given to slavery after her father’s death. She knew both the language of the Tabasco and the Aztec. She became important to Cortés as interpreter, advisor, and confidant. "Used with permission from Microsoft" 6 Kelly Aztec Unit and their neighbors. Time to check what you know! Second, while the Aztec were excellent warriors, their skill and weapons (made of wood and stone) could not stand up to the Spanish horses, guns and ammunition. Experts believe that the use of horses and dogs in battle affected the outcome even more than new technology. Look for a layers link on the Aztec calendar. 12 The Conquest of Tenochtitlan Third, whether through skill or luck, Cortés made a vital alliance with the Tlaxcala. Finally, the Spanish brought diseases that wiped out a significant portion of the population. The events leading up to the Spanish conquest are still debated among scholars. In the end, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec and other natives, lead to a major transformation of “The World.” 13 Resources The Field Museum. (2008). The Aztec World. http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/aztecs/artisans_3.asp Lenchek, Shep.(1997). “LaMinche – harlot or heroine?”. Mexconnect. http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/224-‐la-‐malinche-‐harlot-‐or-‐heroine Leon-‐Portilla, Migual. The Broken Spears. Casado Interent Group. Belize. http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/mayan/aztec.html Moose, Christina, J. Cortes Conquers Aztecs in Mexico. Salem Press. 2005. Smith, Michael E. (2006) Aztec Culture: An Overview. http://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/1-‐CompleteSet/Smith-‐AztecCulture-‐WWW.pdf Primary Sources. A Collection of Primary Sources. http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson6/pdfs/primarysourcepacket.pdf Images 1. "The Indian princess Malinche or Dona Marina mistress of Hernando Cortes interpreting for him". By Duran, Diego. http://www.wikigallery.org 2. Moctezuma II. By De Solis, Antonio. PD-‐old. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Motecuzoma 3. “Aztec Empire c . 1519”. By Madman. CC BY 3.o. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aztec_Empire 4. Codex Borbonicus, an Aztec compilation of the monthly ritual and ceremonies. 5. Codex Mendoza. by native scribes for the Spanish in 1541-‐1542. PD-‐old. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Codex_Magliabechiano_(141_cropped).jpg 6. Coat of Arms of Mexico, by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, FOTW Flags Of The World website at http://flagspot.net/flags/" 7. Tenochtitlan. B y Câsbr. (CC BY 2.0). http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosemania/354092027/in/set-‐72157594473726635/ 8. The Conquest Of Tenochtitlan” Jay Kislak Collection. http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/EarlyAmericas/ExplorationsandEncounters/ConquestPaintings/ExhibitObjects/ArrivalofCort%C3%A9sinVeraCruz.aspx 9. The Aztec god Quetzalcoatl in the Codex Telleriano-‐Remensis (16th century).mazan. PD-‐Old http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Quetzalcoatl_telleriano2 10. "The Meeting of Cortés and Montezuma," Jay I. Kislak Collection. http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/EarlyAmericas/ExplorationsandEncounters/ConquestPaintings/Pages/SlObjectList.aspx 11. Hernando Cortes 2. PD. http://www.wpclipart.com/famous/explorer/Cortes/Hernando_Cortes_2.png.html. 12. Aztec Calendar. By Keepcases., available under a Creative Commons Attribution-‐Share alike 3.0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aztec_calendar.svg. 13. “The Conquest of Tenochtitlan. Jay Kislak Collection. Library of Congress .http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/EarlyAmericas/ExplorationsandEncountersConquestPaintings/ExhibitObjects/TheCaptureofTenochtitl%C3%A1n.aspx