Religion
What did the Aztecs do during the Spanish attack?
Prayed and made sacrifices
What system controlled Aztec labor?
Encomienda system
Define catastrophe
A disaster
How did Aztecs feel after defeat?
Sad / hopeless
Name three elements of worldview that apply to the Spanish conquest
Religion, Economy, Society & Values
Who conquered the Aztec Empire?
Hernán Cortés
What did the Aztecs believe when they lost?
Their gods abandoned them
What did Spanish settlers receive?
Land and workers
What is the Franciscan Order?
Religious group spreading Christianity
Why did Spanish believe they were justified?
Spreading Christianity
What is colonization?
Taking over land
Why did Cortés destroy his ships?
To prevent his men from leaving
What religion replaced Aztec beliefs?
Catholicism
Were Aztecs paid for their work?
No
What is a viceroy?
King’s representative
What happened to Aztec identity?
Weakened
What caused worldview change?
Spanish conquest
What are three advantages the Spanish had over the Aztecs?
Weapons, horses, and disease
Who taught Catholicism to the Aztecs?
Franciscan priests
What were landowners supposed to do?
Treat workers fairly + teach Christianity
What is a mestizo?
Mixed Spanish & Indigenous
Why educate Aztec children?
Convert them
How did Cortes build colonies?
Land grants + forced blending
What role did disease play in the conquest?
It weakened and killed many Aztecs
Why did the Spanish destroy temples and codices?
To erase Aztec religion and replace it
What was the long-term economic impact on Aztecs?
Loss of wealth and control
What is a creole?
Spanish descent born in colony
What did the Aztecs believe about education?
The Aztecs believed in universal education, meaning every citizen received an education no matter what social class they belonged to.
Why did Mexico gain independence?
Exploitation and inequality
How did alliances help Cortés defeat the Aztecs?
Other Indigenous groups helped him fight the Aztecs