Conquistadors followed Columbus to the Americas, seizing gold and converting natives to Christianity while spreading disease. Cortes allied with conquered natives against the Aztecs in Mexico, capturing their leader Moctezuma. Pizarro similarly captured the Incan leader Atahulpa in Peru after he paid a ransom. The Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec and Incan empires through superior technology, help from discontented Indians, and disease that killed many natives.

1. Chapter 3 Section 1Chapter 3 Section 1
The First Global Age: Europe, theThe First Global Age: Europe, the
Americas, and AfricaAmericas, and Africa

2. Conquest in the AmericasConquest in the Americas
► Conquistadors followed after Columbus discoveredConquistadors followed after Columbus discovered
the Caribbean Islandsthe Caribbean Islands
 Seized gold from the nativesSeized gold from the natives
 Forced them to convert to ChristianityForced them to convert to Christianity
 Spread disease: smallpox, measles, influenzaSpread disease: smallpox, measles, influenza

3. The ConquistadorsThe Conquistadors
► Cortes in MexicoCortes in Mexico
 Arrived in Mexico inArrived in Mexico in
1519 with 600 men,1519 with 600 men,
16 horses, and a few16 horses, and a few
canonscanons
 Cortes createdCortes created
alliances withalliances with
conquered nativesconquered natives
that did not like thethat did not like the
AztecsAztecs

4. ► Moctezuma’s dilemmaMoctezuma’s dilemma
 Leader of the Aztecs,Leader of the Aztecs,
he wondered ifhe wondered if
Cortes might beCortes might be
Quetzalcoatl, theQuetzalcoatl, the
god-king who vowedgod-king who vowed
to return from theto return from the
east.east.
 Moctezuma sentMoctezuma sent
Cortes gifts of goldCortes gifts of gold
and silverand silver

5. ► Fall of TenochtitlanFall of Tenochtitlan
 at first, the Spanish were welcomed in the city, however,at first, the Spanish were welcomed in the city, however,
fighting between the two groups eventually led to thefighting between the two groups eventually led to the
downfall of the citydownfall of the city

6. ► Pizarro in PeruPizarro in Peru
(arrived in 1532)(arrived in 1532)
 He captured theHe captured the
leader of the Incasleader of the Incas
(Atahulpa) and(Atahulpa) and
demanded a ransom.demanded a ransom.
When the ransomWhen the ransom
was paid, they killedwas paid, they killed
him anyway.him anyway.
 This allowed them toThis allowed them to
capture the wholecapture the whole
empireempire

7. Reasons for VictoryReasons for Victory
► Superior military technologySuperior military technology
► Discontented Indians helped the Spanish defeatDiscontented Indians helped the Spanish defeat
the Aztec and Incan empiresthe Aztec and Incan empires
► Disease killed tens of thousands of IndiansDisease killed tens of thousands of Indians
► Many Indians believed that the disasters theyMany Indians believed that the disasters they
suffered marked the world’s end. They thoughtsuffered marked the world’s end. They thought
the Europeans were gods.the Europeans were gods.