Hernando Cortes Conquest Of The Americas Analysis
Prevailing histories have always leaned towards the recorded narratives of Victors. Thus, failing to recapture the viewpoints of the Vanquished regarding the same events. As this suggests, the majority of histories can be considered as incomplete, given they portray unilateral views from often only the winning side, and accordingly are open to question. With this in mind, nearly five hundred years ago the Spanish Conquistadors began their conquest of the Americas. As history recounts, Hernando Cortes was by far the most successful Conquistador in his pursuit to seize land, acquire precious resources, and capture native peoples. Cortes’ expedition into unknown territories in search of wealth and glory is capped by his procurement of the capital of the Mexica Empire, Tenochtitlan, and the establishment of New Spain. …show more content…
The conquest of the Mexica under Cortes from 1519-1521 is one of the greatest historical events of all time, given that Cortes manages in three years to lead an army of just over five hundred Spaniards into unknown lands, take on thousands of indigenous advisories, and conquer the most powerful empire in the Americas. To comprehensively understand how Cortes accomplished this feat, it is necessary to explore the historical accounts of both the Nahua and Spanish on the fall of the Mexica. Exploring the history of the Conquest of Mexico through interpretations from both the victors and the vanquished reveals perspective insights into areas such as the true motives of the Spanish and how they are received by the indigenous population and Mexcia, and how the religious practices of the Mexica are intrinsic to the success of Cortes’
Book Review Of The Broken Spears By Miguel Leon-Portilla
588 Words | 3 PagesThroughout history, the conquest of Mexico has been told in the perspective of the Spanish and their triumphs. It was not until 1962 a Mexican anthropologist named Miguel Leon-Portilla published his book The Broken Spears: An Aztec account of the Conquest of Mexico. He described in his book the indigenous account of the conquest of Mexico. The Broken Spears contains surviving codices written in Nahuatl (Aztec) language that survived the Spanish destruction. The book starts off discussing some bad omens that foretold the destruction of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan.
How Did Hernan Cortes Conquer The Aztec
259 Words | 2 PagesHernan Cortes. Spain’s savior, nightmare for the Aztecs. The man who brought gold and glory to Spain, at the cost of the destruction of a rich, thriving civilisation. Hernan Cortez was a cunning, manipulative, intelligent conquistador and he and his army single handedly took down one of the greatest civilizations of all time by forging, advanced weaponry, alliances and the Conquistador’s Formula. Some may argue that Dona Marina is most responsible because she advised and told Cortes what the enemy was planning, but she was merely a pawn in Cortes’s grand scheme of conquering the Aztecs, as Cortes was the true mastermind and defeated the Aztecs for these reasons: First Cortes and his army has more advanced weapons such as Halberds, crossbows,
Similarities Between Sundiata And Nagarando Cortes
935 Words | 4 PagesUnder the “dogmatic assumption that the new world belonged to Spain by the right of Pope Alexander’s bull of donation,” Cortés believed that he was the “instrument of divine justice” permitting him to violently act upon the inhabitants if they did not cease their possessions to the Spaniards. In addition, Cortés believed that he had the right to destroy the natives’ forms of idols and replace them with Christian statues. Through the narrative of Cortés’s leadership, it is evident that religion was valued since it served as a guide to administer Spanish expansion. The narrative of Sundiata demonstrates that religion was important to the Mandingo culture because it was spiritual force that granted Sundiata blessing and fortune in
How Did Hernan Cortes Overcome Well-Established Native American
643 Words | 3 Pages1. How was it possible for Hernan Cortes and other European explorers to overcome well-established Native American cultures with millions of people? Hernan Cortes is one of the most well-known Spanish conquistadors. He is best remembered for conquering the Aztec empire and claiming Mexico for Spain. He also helped colonize Cuba and became a governor of New Spain.
How Did Hernan Cortes Conquer The Aztec Empire
318 Words | 2 PagesIn 1519 Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec empire in Tenochtitlan, the capital city and had claimed the Aztec empire, or what is now Mexico, for Spain. This scene was called the “Spanish Conquest of the Aztec empire”1. Hernan Cortés is one of the most well-known Spanish conquistadors. Cortes was fascinated about the journey of Christopher Columbus New world explorations and decided to seek fortune and adventure and so at age 19, he set sail for the New World.2 Cortes had lot of on board knowledge that the Spanish had which led to them conquering the Aztec for Spain. However, many things have challenged them to complete their desire.
Spanish Conquistadors Research Paper
537 Words | 3 PagesIn the late 1400's, conquistadors started their first voyages to the “New World”. They sought gold, resources, and to convert any indigenous peoples they came across. The Spanish, the conquistadors were heroes for spreading Catholicism and returning new resources. Yet, from the point of view of the natives and Bartholome de Las Casas, they were villains. The conquistadors massacred the natives; enslaving those who escaped.
Hernan Cortes Thesis
847 Words | 4 PagesTaylan Swainston Miss Toone Language Arts 3 14 December 2022 Hernan Cortes: the Man Who Changed the World “Cortes was a leader capable of taking both utterly ruthless decisions & extravagant gambles”(Cartwright 4). Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador responsible for the attack on Tenochtitlan and the fall of the Aztec empire in the early 1500s. He used superior technology and strategies to gain victory against the Aztecs. He was an important figure in society and helped build the world to what it is now, because he had a very ambitious and destructive life, conquered much of Mexico, and wiped out a major ancient empire.
Compare And Contrast Inca And Aztecs
1807 Words | 8 PagesThe Mexica people of Tenochtitlan, situated on an island in Lake Texcoco and the inhabitants of Tenochtitlan’s two principal allied city-states, the Acolhaus of Texcoco and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan, formed the Aztec Triple Alliance which has also become known as the “Aztec Empire”. Henan Cortes, along with a large number of Nahuatl speaking indigenous allies, conquered Tenochtitlan and defeated the Aztec Triple Alliance under the leadership of Moctezuma II. In the series of events often referred to as “The Fall of the Aztec Empire”. Subsequently the Spanish founded the new settlement of Mexico City on the site of the ruined Aztec capital.
The Broken Spears Summary
573 Words | 3 PagesThe Broken Spears, by Miguel Leon-Portilla, is an all-inclusive and compelling account of the Spanish conquest, told by the Aztecs also known as the conquered. Leon Portilla’s choice of events depicted in this book collides together giving the reader a broad view of the Spanish conquest. This book gives a history of emotional and spiritual human experiences, allowing the readers to comprehend, and relate to the Aztecs as they went through terror and faced their fears. This book provides an extensive amount of details concerning lack of leadership, bias and technological hardship that led to the Aztec defeat. After reading this book the reader will start to understand how and why the Aztecs suffered .
Summary Of Buddy Levy's 'Conquistador'
1181 Words | 5 PagesCortes, as well as many other explorers during this time, was inspired by the Three G’s: God, gold, and glory. He planned to conquer the new lands for Spain, to convert the natives to Catholicism, and to obtain the riches of the land, mostly gold. Conquistador is basically a record of the last days of the Aztec civilization, as the two groups, the Aztecs and the Spaniards, clash, and the Spaniards ultimately come out on top.
Black Conquistadors Analysis
993 Words | 4 PagesWhen thinking of the Spanish Conquest, two groups often come to mind: the Spaniards and the Native Americans. The roles of each of these groups and their encounters have been so heavily studied that often the role of Africans is undermined. As Matthew Restall states in his article Black Conquistadors, the justifications for African contribution are often “inadequately substantiated if not marginalized [as the] Africans were a ubiquitous and pivotal part of the Spanish conquest campaigns in the Americas […]” (Restall 172). Early on in his article, Restall characterizes three categories of Africans present during the Conquest – mass slaves, unarmed servants of the Spanish, and armed auxillaries (Restall 175).
Spanish Conquest Rhetorical Analysis
316 Words | 2 PagesIn this week’s reading, “Spanish Conquest” by Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloe Sayer discuss the subjugation, ethnocide, and struggle the indigenous population of Mexico endured during the Spanish conquest. The Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez, enslave and forced the Aztecs to believe that Christianity was the one true religion. Therefore, the indigenous people were forced to convert their faith through the Spanish missionaries to lose their indigenous roots. Later, the authors explain the many difficulties and conflicts Spanish priest underwent to teach the Christian faith to the Aztecs. The Spanish friar first taught the indigenous people Christianity in Nahuatl.
Aztlan Colonial New Mexico Analysis
504 Words | 3 PagesIn central Mexico the Spanish myth of the golden northern land stirred awareness in the legend of Aztlan. According to their own histories the Aztecs had left their homeland in 1168 and journeyed to the lakes where in 1325 where found in Tenochtitlan. By mid-1700’s the Edenic picture of the north had been forgotten in the minds of the authorities in Mexico City. Since most of the settler from the very beginning were Indians and Mestizos and had intermarried with northern natives it wasn’t surprising that eventually saw the border land as their
Hernan Cortes Hero
975 Words | 4 PagesThe Spanish were able to colonize Mexico without much resistance.” After the smallpox epidemic, the Aztecs were even more vulnerable. The Spanish exploration and conquering of Tenochtitlan was to gain power for the Spanish empire, but the city’s people were somewhat considered rebellious, and consequently, Cortes needed to conquer/kill the people first. By taking down the people of the city, Cortes was exposed to the city’s great treasures for his reward of gold; he retrieved all the gold he could, and travelled back to Spain where he was labelled a hero for his acts of
How Did The Spanish Empires Impact The Americas
68 Words | 1 PagesThe Spaniards made a big impact in the Americas. They killed many Incas,Tainos, and Aztecs. These populations lost many including their emperors. On the Spaniard 's side they had power by killing Atahualpa and Montezuma they could create colonies and take riched back to their country. The Spaniards weren 't the only ones to look for riches in the New World.
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