The arrival of the Europeans in the Americas greatly altered life in the Americas

The arrival of the Europeans inthe Americas greatly altered life

in the Americas.

European conquerors or conquistadorslike Hernan Cortes arrived in the Americas

for “God, Glory, and Gold.”

The Spaniards conquered the native population, seized their gold and silver,

and converted them toChristianity.

The Spaniards also brought diseaseslike the deadly smallpox disease.

The native population had never beenexposed to smallpox and died in great

numbers from the disease.

Small numbers of Spaniards - usinghorses and firearms and acting withlocal allies – quickly overcame largenumbers of Native American Indians.

Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico in 1519sailed to Mexico with 11 ships, some

500 soldiers, and 16 horses in search ofgold and silver.

Cortes met the Aztec emperor, Montezuma.

The Aztecs believed that the Spaniardswere gods and showered them with

gifts. One Aztec legend claimed that one of their gods would return one day from

the East. Initially, the Aztecs believingCortes was this god, welcomed Cortes.

The Spaniards eventually attackedthe Aztec capital and killed

Montezuma. Finally, the Aztecssurrendered. Spain had broken

the power of the once mightyAztec empire.

Francisco Pizarro arrived in modern-dayPeru in 1532. Pizarro and his men marchedtoward the Inca capital and discovered thatthe Incas were in the midst of a civil war.

The Incan emperor, Atahualpa, met theSpaniards with no weapons. The Spaniards attacked the Incas and

captured Atahualpa.

Atahualpa promised to fill a largeroom with gold if Pizarro would

release him. He kept his promisebut Pizarro killed him anyway.

With the Inca emperor dead, the Incas surrendered. But Pizarro and

his men fought over the gold andPizarro was eventually killed by his

own men.

Conquistadors

Reasons Cortes Pizarro