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What did Hernando Cortes discover?
Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador, or conqueror, best remembered for conquering the Aztec empire in 1521 and claiming Mexico for Spain. He also helped colonize Cuba and became a governor of New Spain.
What did Hernan Cortes find on his journey?
Hernando Cortes didn’t discover Mexico because it was already inhabited when he arrived. However, Cortes lead to the destruction of the Aztec Empire, and claimed significant portions of Mexico for the Spanish Empire.
What treasures did Hernan Cortes find?
By 1521 the Mexica capital city of Tenochtitlan was in ashes, Emperor Montezuma was dead and the Spanish were firmly in control of what they took to calling “New Spain.” Along the way, Cortes and his men collected thousands of pounds of gold, silver, jewels and priceless pieces of Aztec art.
What tribes did Hernan Cortes come in contact with?
In 1519, inspired by rumors of gold and the existence of large, sophisticated cities in the Mexican interior, Hernán Cortés (1485–1547) was appointed to head an expedition of eleven ships and five hundred men to Mexico. At that time the great empire of the Mexica—now known as the Aztecs—dominated much of Mesoamerica.
What was the original name of the Aztecs?
Mexica
The Mexica or Mexicas — called Aztecs in occidental historiography, although this term is not limited to the Mexica — were an indigenous people of the Valley of Mexico, known today as the rulers of the Aztec empire.
Why did Spain want to conquer the Aztecs?
Why might Cortes have wanted to conquer the Aztec? Cortes might have wanted to conquer the Aztec because he wanted gold, silver, to convert them to Christianity, glory, and greed. The advantages that the Spanish had over the Aztec were 16 horses, guns, armor, formed alliances, and diseases, steel.
Why did Cortes write a letter to Charles V?
The Second letters to Charles V were written by Hernan Cortés of Spain in 1520. The letters were sent to Charles V to justify Cortés actions of attacking the Aztec ‘s against his superiors order. The letters that Cortés wrote details the lifestyle, and culture of the Aztec ‘s and how worshipped pagan gods.
How much gold did Spain take from Mexico?
Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge That’s quite a pre-nup. Between 1500 and 1650, the Spanish imported 181 tons of gold and 16,000 tons of silver from the New World. In today’s money, that much gold would be worth nearly $4 billion, and the silver would be worth over $7 billion.
Did Hernán Cortés take gold from the Aztecs?
It is said that Cortés got the gold when he sought out Aztec emperor Moctezuma for his treasure. A year after being welcomed into the capitol city of Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City, he arrested the emperor and demanded all of his gold. Cortés and his men then melted the treasure down into bars.
Did Montezuma think Cortés was a God?
An unnerving series of coincidences led Montezuma to believe that perhaps Cortés was the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who had promised to return one day to reclaim his kingdom. Quetzalcoatl, “the feathered serpent,” stood for the solar light, the morning star. He symbolized knowledge, arts, and religion.
Are there any full blooded Aztecs left?
Yes, many full blooded Nahuatl people(the Aztecs were a particular Nahuatl tribe also known as the Mexica) still live today in Mexico.