Spanish Conquest of the Americans
Storyboard Text
- My friends, we share a common enemy, join us and we will give you the freedom you deserve.
- We shall be allies
- Hernan Cortez was a Spanish conquistador who had come to the West Indies to escape the poverty of his homeland. Hernan was chosen by the Cuban governor to lead an expedition to the mainland of South America. In 1519 Hernan set sail to colonise and conquer in the name of the Spanish King and in the name of Christianity.
- Kill them
- Hernan Cortez first contact with the native tribes were with the Totonac people. They had been living under the cruel reign of Montezuma and wanted him gone. They promised to ally themselves with Hernan's troops to overthrow the Aztec leader.
- Make one move and I will not hesitate to put this sword through your neck Montezuma
- Silence!
- I treated you as a guest and you repay me by taking me hostage!
- Hernan Cortez fought and defeated the Tlaxcala's whose territories lay between the coast and Tenochtitlan. After the defeat the Tlaxcala's agreed to be allied with Hernan's troops.
- The Cholula's were allies of the Aztecs and planned to ambush and capture the troops. Hernan found out about this and invited the Cholula leaders down to the temple unarmed. Once there Hernan ordered his Spaniards to kill them. The Totonacs returned home laden with gifts from the Spanish and Hernan left Cholula with a force of 1000 Tlaxcala's and crossed the most notorious path in the mountains to surprise the Aztecs.
- Initially Montezuma went to greet Hernan Cortez as friends but it was soon clear that Hernan only wanted gold, treasure and the land. As relation became bitter Montezuma was taken hostage by the Spanish and the land was stripped of its treasure.
- In May 1520 while Hernan was away the conquistadors killed a group of Aztec nobles at at a festival, this led to an uprising and when Hernan returned he found out that Tenochtitlan was no longer under his control. Montezuma died by the crowds. In July that same year the Spanish tried to leave the quietly but was found out and a bloody battle ensued which left the Spanish fleeing and losing many soldiers. The Aztecs thought that the Spanish had gone for good but then smallpox killed a quarter of the Aztec population.
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