On the 8th November 1519, the conquistador, Hernán Cortes, arrived in Tenochtitlan along with 400 Spaniards and around 1000 native troops.
Who Was He?
His full name was Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, he was the 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca, his expedition caused the end of the Aztec Empire, which brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the Spanish in the early 16th century.
Cortes himself was astounded on first seeing the City of Gold, as Tenochtitlan became known, sitting serenely in a beautifully planned and ordered system of canals and causeways.
Things then changed
However, the Aztecs were terrified of the Spanish, metal men astride horses, creatures they had never seen before.
It was not long, before the Spanish decided that the Aztecs were heathen barbarians, because they practiced human sacrifice, while it became obvious to the Aztecs that the Spanish wanted gold and conquest and weren’t interested in peaceful relations.
The two worlds clashed
Inevitably, these two different worlds were soon at war, unfortunately, even though the Aztecs were skilled and ruthless warriors, their swords, clubs and shields were no match for the Spanish with their firearms and cannon. This meant that on the 23rd of August 1521, the golden city of Tenochtitlan was destroyed and caused the end of the Aztec empire.
As a result the Aztec empire slowly disappeared into history, which was speeded up as missionaries destroyed every relic they could as they were convinced that the evil empire would return if its buildings or artefacts were preserved.
The Aztecs had an interesting empire, which is why our sister site Educational Musicals publish a fictional musical The Golden City – The Lost Empire of the Aztecs
It gives an insight into the spiritual world of the first Americans. Young archaeologist, Dr Lara Jones, discovers a Codex written 700 years ago by an Aztec farmer called Chipilli. We travel back to the last days of the Aztec Empire, to the legendary Golden City, Tenochtitlan, where the Aztec ruler, Moctezuma, faces the Metal Gods who have invaded the Aztec world and to end its existence.
You can read two pages of script and then you can download it today by clicking on The Golden City then you can start rehearing today.
Isn’t History Fun?
10 questions to discuss:
- What title was Hernán Cortés given in addition to his name?
- How did the arrival of Cortés and his troops impact the Aztec Empire?
- What was the initial reaction of Cortés upon seeing Tenochtitlan?
- What characteristics of the Spanish soldiers frightened the Aztecs?
- Why did the Spanish view the Aztecs as heathen barbarians?
- What technological advantages did the Spanish possess over the Aztecs during the conflict?
- When did the destruction of Tenochtitlan occur?
- How did the Spanish conquest affect the fate of the Aztec Empire?
- What measures were taken by the missionaries to erase the Aztec civilization?
- How did the clash between the Spanish and the Aztecs ultimately shape the course of history in the region?
For more about the Aztecs go to:
© Tony Dalton