Posted: August 26th, 2022

The Spanish Conquer the Aztecs

Write a research paper on a historical event in the US before 1877, Native American Civilizations is preferred. Can be about the Mayans, Aztecs, or Incas. Must include 2 cited works for the research.
The Spanish Conquer the Aztecs
Between the 14th and the 16th Century, America was a home to various civilizations. The Aztecs were among these societies and they occupied the Mesoamerica. They were successful and able to gain wealth very fast thus, the vast growth of their empire. In 1519, the Spanish, led by Hernan Cortes, invaded the territory of the Aztecs with the aim of taking away the land, treasures, and power (Daniel 187). Their winning of the battle brought the fall of the Aztec empire. The main factors which led to the success of the Spanish were their ability to persuade the local people of Aztec to support them, the organization of their forces, and the powerful weapons which they had.
The conquistadores used a tactic of influencing and convincing the Aztecs to be their allies during the war. Initially, Cortes secured a safe space at San Juan de Ulua by persuading Montezuma’s associates and the people of Totonac to support him. On 20th August, Cortes led the Spanish to the Tlaxcalan territory which was dominated by the Aztecs (Carrasco 106). His motives to make the people his allies were disregarded at first. This led to emergence of small battles so that he could prove himself powerful to the Aztecs. As a result, the Tlaxcalans united with the Spanish and agreed on becoming their allies. The conquistadores moved towards Mexico with some Tlaxcalan troops who had already joined their soldiers.
They were well organized and started by conquering one region after another. They initiated their plans by dealing with small groups of attackers. For instance, on their journey to Mexico, they reached at Cholula where they blood-bathed a large group of people which they thought had the intention of ambushing them. On November 8, 1519, the Spanish reached Tenochtitlan which was the capital of Aztec and the present-day Mexico City (Daniel 188). They were very careful on their journey so as to avoid any conflicts with the Aztecs since they were uncertain about their loyalty and they still needed their support to conquer Mexico City. The city was a home of great political and economical power. The Spanish focused on it since they saw an opportunity to acquire all of its power and wealth.
They had great weapons which they used in defeating the Aztecs in the Tenochtitlan City. After meeting with Motecuhzoma, who was the ruler of Tenochtitlan, Cortes planned a coup d’état to overthrow him. At the same time, another Spanish voyage was sent by the Governor of Cuba to the coast. Cortes went with many soldiers to face the voyage leaving a few in Mexico. When he returned from the coast, the Spanish soldiers were weak and they opted to retreat from war. Many of them were killed and injured. They escaped to Tlaxcala where they received back up, war equipments, food and other provisions (Daniel 189). They regained strength and started their journey back to Mexico. On their way, they conquered the cities which bordered the lakes and surrounded the Aztecs in Tenochtitlan city. In August 13, 1521, after the siege which lasted for almost three months, the city gave in to the Spanish who had destroyed many parts of it. The reinforcement and supplies aided in their success.
In a nutshell, the Aztec was among the powerful civilizations of the Native Americans. The geographical location of this community made it to gain wealth quickly and enhance its political and economic power. The Spanish were attracted to the city because of its success. Through the leadership of Hernan Cortes, the Spanish were able to execute their plans in phases. Although they faced challenges in their fight, they were able to conquer Aztec empire.

Works Cited
Carrasco, David. “7. The fall of the Aztec empire.” The Aztecs, 2011, pp. 102-111.
Daniel, Douglas A. “Tactical Factors in the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs.” Anthropological Quarterly, vol. 65, no. 4, 1992, pp. 187-194.

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