One can say the conquering of the Americans started with Columbus, when he set sail in 1492 and his goal was to find the fastest route to Asia. This led others in the 1500s like Diego Velazquez, Hernando Cortes, and Francisco Pizarro to come to the Americas. These Iberian men were able to take over the Aztec, Maya, and the Incas with luck on their side. Many of the letters written to the king made the Indians seem peaceful, almost childlike others similar to barbarians without culture. This could not be further than the truth, the Indians were not easily conquered many resisted, however the Iberians made alliances with Indians that were not pleased with the ruler, superior weapons, for example the sword (not Guns as one would think) and the
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However, Cortes did what many conquistadores that followed practiced “obedezco pero no cumplo” (I obey, but I do not comply) he did disobey his orders and made contact with the Indians. At the same time met others tribe groups that were not pleased with the Mexica (Aztecs) which made it easy for Cortes to form alliances and find interpreters. Also, unknown to the Iberians, they were carriers of smallpox, which speared to the Aztecs. In 1520 “Noche de Triste” Cortes blocked the city of Tenochtitlan, Starving the city as the diseases that they brought decimated the population and at the end killed Montezuma. Another conquistador was Francisco Pizarro and the luck he had when he came in contact with the Incas. The diseases that the Iberians brought over made its way to South America. The Inca ruler Huayna Capac died allegedly of smallpox and left no specific heir, which causes his two sons (Atawallpa and Huascar) to fight for the throne. Pizarro was lucky to come into contact when this was occurring and especially when Pizarro meets Atawallpa (Inca Ruler) under the pretense of friendship, which later he uses to ransom and killed. Also, was the fact that Cortez and Pizarro able to use the political structure that the Aztec and Incas had in place to ensure the conquest. Cortes and Pizarro was the first stage of the Spanish
However, Cortes did what many conquistadores that followed practiced “obedezco pero no cumplo” (I obey, but I do not comply) he did disobey his orders and made contact with the Indians. At the same time met others tribe groups that were not pleased with the Mexica (Aztecs) which made it easy for Cortes to form alliances and find interpreters. Also, unknown to the Iberians, they were carriers of smallpox, which speared to the Aztecs. In 1520 “Noche de Triste” Cortes blocked the city of Tenochtitlan, Starving the city as the diseases that they brought decimated the population and at the end killed Montezuma. Another conquistador was Francisco Pizarro and the luck he had when he came in contact with the Incas. The diseases that the Iberians brought over made its way to South America. The Inca ruler Huayna Capac died allegedly of smallpox and left no specific heir, which causes his two sons (Atawallpa and Huascar) to fight for the throne. Pizarro was lucky to come into contact when this was occurring and especially when Pizarro meets Atawallpa (Inca Ruler) under the pretense of friendship, which later he uses to ransom and killed. Also, was the fact that Cortez and Pizarro able to use the political structure that the Aztec and Incas had in place to ensure the conquest. Cortes and Pizarro was the first stage of the Spanish