Cortés's Life & Background
What region of the world did Cortés conquer?
The Aztec Empire (in modern-day Mexico)
What religious practice of the Aztecs did Cortés use to justify his conquest?
Human sacrifice
What feature of Tenochtitlán did Cortés describe in great detail to impress Emperor Charles V?
The city's marketplace and infrastructure, including aqueducts and temples.
Cortés claimed that the Spanish brought civilization to the Aztecs. What does this suggest about European views of indigenous peoples?
That Europeans viewed indigenous cultures as inferior or uncivilized
Why did Cortés write letters to Emperor Charles V?
To justify his unauthorized actions in Mexico and to secure support for further conquests.
What two motives are evident in Cortés’s letter?
Economic gain (wealth/gold) and religious conversion (Christianizing the Aztecs)
What body of water surrounded the city of Tenochtitlán?
Lake Texcoco
What economic motive was behind much of the European colonization in the Americas, including Cortés's campaign?
The desire for wealth, especially gold and other resources
What major city did Cortés take over during his conquest of the Aztec Empire?
Tenochtitlán
How does Cortés frame his actions in the letter to make them appear morally justified?
He portrays himself as bringing Christianity and civilization to a “barbaric” people.
What ultimately happened to Montezuma after Cortés arrived in Tenochtitlán?
He was taken hostage by Cortés and later died under unclear circumstances
How did Cortés use the Aztecs’ practice of human sacrifice to justify violence against them?
He portrayed it as evidence of their savagery, implying that the conquest was necessary to end such practices