Native Societies1
What question did Cortez ask about Moctezuma when he first landed with his Conquistadors and met the Aztec?
"Does Moctezuma have much gold?"
In what year did Coronado explore New Mexico?
1540
Name the capital city of the Aztecs.
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Tenochtitlan
What two diseases killed most of the Native peoples of the Americas?
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Measles and Smallpox
What three groups of people make up the background of most South and Central Americans?
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Africans, Natives, and Spaniards
The Spanish had to cross these every time they made an attack on the capital city of the Aztec.
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bridges
Name of the modern city built over the ruins of the Aztec capital.
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Mexico City
What year did Cortez find the Aztec capital and in what year was it finally destroyed?
1519 and 1521
Why did the Aztecs regard the Spanish as gods?
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According to Aztec mythology, one of their gods, Quetzalcoatl, was supposed to return from across the Eastern seas. The Aztecs believed that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl due to their use of cannons, firearms, metal weaponry, and strange animals (horses, dogs etc.).
Why did the Spanish regard the Aztecs as unsophisticated and uncivilized?
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Mostly due to their practice of human sacrifice, but also as a result of their body mutilations, tattoos and lack of metal weapons/armour.
What was unusual about the location of the Aztec capital city?
It was an island in a lake.
How did the Conquistadores come up with an army large enough to conquer the Aztecs?
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He made an alliance with their enemies the Tlaxcalans.
Why do so many people of South and Central America speak Spanish and have many ethnicities?
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The Spanish intermarried with other groups.
What was the name of the group of people at the top of the social system and what did that name mean?
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Peninsulares were born in Spain
What was the encomienda system?
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A system of government where natives were given as property, and responsibility of, to Spanish individuals.
What Conquistador conquered the Inca?
Pizarro
In what year did the Spanish conquer the Incan Empire?
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1572
Explain why the Aztecs were defeated by the Spanish. You must provide at least TWO reasons.
Answer may refer to: - Technological advancements - Aztec's had many enemies in other tribes - Montezuma's belief that the Spanish were a returned god - Impact of disease
When the Spanish had defeated the Aztecs, many Aztecs died due to European diseases. Not many people were left to work the gold and silver mines. How did the Spanish solve this problem?
By importing thousands of slaves from West Africa
Explain the impact upon Native societies of Spanish conquest. You must discuss at least THREE areas that were impacted.
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- Diseases that lead to significant population decrease - Destruction of traditional social structures - Spread of Christianity - Use of natives as slaves - Taught the Spanish language - Increase in technology for farming and metal-working - Introduction of European animals such as pigs, sheep, cattle, horses etc.