Aztecs 1450 - Fall of Tenochtitlan

1450They had heavy rains for a

period of 5 years.This caused massive

flooding.

This ruined the land so that they had to deal with famine. Famine: an acute (serious) shortage of food.

They tried to please the gods through massive offerings of human hearts.

They believed they had learned their lesson from the years of Famine.

• Lesson Learned: Don’t ever displease the gods again!

The people watching the sacrifice would also practice bloodletting.

There were political benefits to this sacrificial system.

• Invite the leaders of the tributary tribes to see what would happen to them if they rebelled!

• Europeans killed the warriors in battle. • Aztecs killed the warriors after the battle.

There is a story of 20,000 victims being sacrificed in 4 days.Is that possible?

• 1487 The dedication of the Temple Mayor

The Spanish are coming! The Spanish are coming!

Cortez and The Route he took:

The entire world will change forever after the Spanish find the Americas.

“New World” Old World The Americas Europe, Asia and Africa

The Spanish will conquer the Philippines about the same time they conquer the Aztecs.

They call Mexico “New Spain”.

Resources that were transported across the Atlantic Ocean after the Americas were “found”.

Columbian Exchange

Chicken Pox influenza (flu) measles Teascarlet fever Ricesmallpox wheat cats Chickens Cows goats horsesRabbits PigsSheep Pigeons

Old World

chocolate Corn Potatoes Turkey TomatoesChili pepperPeanuts VanillaSquash GOLD Pumpkin SILVERSweet Potato Syphilis Tobaccorubber New World

STDSyphilis

It takes years to die from the

bacteria.It does damage the brain and

heart.

It takes 7-10 days from the

time one is exposed to smallpox

until the virus starts to appear.

Estimated decline of the Native Population of Mexico due to disease:

24 Million20 Million16 Million12 Million8 Million4 Million1 Million 1500 1540 1580 1620

Maya

Incas

Aztecs <-------------------------------------------------1000 I 600 I 200 0 200 I 600 I 1000 I 1200 I 1600 I 2000

BCE CE<<

Cortez arrives-->The siege of Tenochtitlan

(It will take 2 years)

Montezuma II Cortez

1.When Cortes, the Spanish conquistador arrived in 1519 with his fleet of galleons(ships), the Aztecs thought that he was the god Quetzalcoatl returning . It was predicted that he would arrive in 1519.

It took 3 months for Cortez to reach Tenochtitlan.

2. Montezuma then invited Montezuma and his men in as guests.

3. Cortez captures Montezuma and held him hostage in the

palace for 6 months.

Cortez was in trouble for disobeying the Viceroy. ( He is kind of like a governor of the

area.)5. He left Tenochtitlan.6. His men attacked the priests for doing

their sacrifices.7. They had to get out of there quick!Some died because theyWere trying to take the Heavy gold with them.

8.There were many battles where the Spanish were defeated.

During that time one man entered Tenochtitlan with smallpox!

9.Finally, Cortez came back with 500 men and an army full of warriors

that were angry about paying tribute.

10.They circled Tenochtitlan and cut off their supply of water and

food for 3 months(a siege).

11.The Aztecs were weakened from starvation and

disease.When they did finally fight, the Spanish and the

tributary warriors easily won.

FYI: The Aztecs had a calendar that was modeled after the Mayan

Calendar (365 days).

• >After a sacrifice the corpses would then be carefully dis-membered. >Different body parts were handed out tothe nobles to be eaten.