The Clash of Cultures: Europeans in the Americas

1. The Clash of Cultures: Europeans in the Americas Readings: http://faculty.fullerton.edu/nfitch/nehaha/index.htm Spodek, pp. 452-458

2. Aztecs/Mexica--Mexico • Nahuatl • Mayan • Quetzacoatl • Tenochtitlan • Lake Texcoco • Montezuma II takes power (1502)

3. Cortes Decides to Conquer Mexico • Spaniards Conquer Cuba • 1517—Spaniards begin to explore Mexico • Aztecs may have experienced bad omens, but an invention? • February 10, 1519 Hernan Cortes defies Governor Diego Velasquez • June 3, 1519 Spaniards arrive at Cempoala with 11 ships, 600 soldiers, 200 native servants, 16 horses, 32 crossbows, 13 muskets, and 14 cannons • Cortez’s translator, Jerome de Aguilar spoke Mayan.

4. Cortes finds a Translator and Mistress • Dona Marina is also known as La Malinche or Malintzin. • Dona Marina spoke Mayan and Nahuatl. • She became Cortez’s translator and mistress • Mexica called Cortez El Malinche in some documents

5. Cortes’ Route to Tenochtitlan

6. Cholula Massacre • September 2-20, 1519—the Spaniards fight with the Tlaxcalans but end by winning Tlaxcalan allies • October 1519—Massacre at Cholula

7. Cortez and Moctezuma • November 8, 1519 – Cortes enters Tenochtitlan • Does Moctezuma believe he’s Quetzacoatl? Modern historians – no, documents ambiguous • Panfilo de Navaez – May 1520 • Cortes leaves Pedro de Alvarado in Charge

8. Moctezuma Killed • Pedro de Alvarado attacks Mexica during festival • June 1520 – Moctezuma killed • Ultimately replaced by Cuauhtemoc

9. La Noche Triste • Spaniards forced to flee • La Noche Triste – June 30, 1520 • Cortes loses 2/3 of his men and many horses • Spanish conquest not inevitable

10. Cortes takes Tenochtitlan • July 1520—Spaniards reach Tlaxcala and are welcomed • July 1520-May 1521 Cortez regroups with Tlaxcala help—builds brigantines • October 1520—Smallpox decimating the population of Tenochtitlan • Mexica fortify Tenochtitlan like European cities • May 1521—Spaniards lay siege to Tenochtitlan. • July 1521—After failing to take Tenochtitlan, Cortez decides to destroy it. • August 13, 1521—Cuathemoc either surrenders or is captured and the Battle of Tenochtitlan is over with the city in ruins.

11. Peru • Inca Huayna Capac ruled generally well from 1493-1525. • He had an army of 50,000 loyal followers. • The Incas thought he was a god or god-like • Problem: Religion and Ancestor Worship of Incas (The name was given to the people ruled as well as the ruler.)

12. Peru (continued) • When Capec died, he was preserved as a mummy and housed in a sacred chamber with other mummified Incas. • The mummified Inca retained possession of all estates and properties held in life. Inca nobility managed the property of the dead Incas. • By 1525, so much property in hands of dead Incas, almost none available for live Incas

13. The Incas • Huascar (1525-1532) succeeded his father as Inca and was crowned at Cuzco. • Proposed burying the mummies and selling their property so living could have land.

14. Incas • Atahualpa (1532-1533) • Atahualpa was Huascar’s half-brother • He had tried to get Huascar to agree to share power • Huascar refused • Atahualpa not legal heir but had support of nobility – upset at mummy proposal. • There was a civil war and Atahualpa won.

15. Spanish Conquest of Peru • Francisco Pizarro (c. 1475-1541) • May 13, 1532 – Alahualpa wins, Pizarro reaches northern Peru • Did Atahualpa think Pizarro was the God Virachocha, who he believed would return? Or, a Spanish invention? • Pizarro tricked Atahualpa—killed him after he got Atahualpa’s gold • Fierce resistance for at least 100 years

16. How did the Spaniards control the Americas? • Disease (especially smallpox) was one control – not intentional at first • Peru’s population fell from 1.3 million in 1570 to 600,000 in 1620. • Mexico’s population fell from 25.3 million Indians in 1519 to 1 million in 1605 • Native population had no immunity because of isolation from the population networks of Africa and Eurasia.

17. Economic Control • Natives were also treated poorly by the Spaniards. They were forced to work on mines and sugar plantations after Spaniards took land from them. • In 1511 King Ferdinand concluded that “one black could do the work of four Indians.” That started the birth of Slavery and massive imports of Africans into the Americas. • Encomienda Plantation/Fazenda • New agriculture • New livestock • New labor

18. Cultural Control • Paper • City Building • Race • Language of Color-based racial thinking • Gender • Religion • Government