Conquest of Mesoamerica

Question 1

Conquest of Mesoamerica

Answer 1

This started with the Spanish and followed by other countries but
had 3 principles to it
1. God
2. Glory
3. Gold

Question 2

Mexica

Answer 2

Was the name of the Mesoamerican AZTEC culture which came to be a major power
in the region in the mid 15th century, They were very sophisticated in their society and had major
market places. Their society was divided as follows
1. Priests / Warriors
2. Middle Class / Artisans
3. Slaves / Peasants
They had a cyclical concept of time and believed that they came to be in the 5th cycle. They believed
heavily in SACRIFICE and also in ANAMISM which is to place human characteristics on inanimate
objects. Their god was “HUITZILOPOTCHLI” which was a hummingbird. They centered their city in
LAKE TEXCOCO in this lake was an island that they named TENOCHTITLAN which in their
language of NAHUTL was language of the AZTECS. They arrived here in 1325 and in less then 200
years they grew the empire to that or more then the Roman Empire. They had an appetite of
BLOODLUST. This is what they needed to sacrifice to their god. Their mindset was of
1. Violence
2. Tribute / Tax / Material or Human
3. Stay Mobile so that you can conquer and keep gaining people to sacrifice
4. Little if any intervention in the life of conquered people.
5. Opportunistic
They were fierce and uncompromising warriors. They built upon strategic alliances and maintained a
de-centralized gov’t which helped expand the empire and they just expected a Tax / Tribute. Your
place in life was decided at birth by the gov’t and you could not move up or down from there. By 1519
the capitol had around 150,000 to 200,000 citizens living in it. They had lush and lavish gardens
called CHINAMPAS in the capitol that floated on the river and lake. The city was clean and massive
referred to later by the conquistadors as the Venice of the new world. Their religion was
POLYTHEISTIC with many gods and they also had a hierarchy. Gods often had form of 2 animals.
They often tripped out on drugs like peyote to reach the level of the gods.

Question 3

Conquistadors

Answer 3

Was the name given to the Spanish who explored new lands to try to take the
gold from these MEXICA and also tried to convert them to Christianity.

Question 4

Tribute

Answer 4

Was a form of TAXATION either by goods or Human paid to the MEXICA by
conquered people.

Question 5

Animism

Answer 5

Is the belief system that the MEXICA had and gave inanimate objects Human like
features

Question 6

Nahuatl

Answer 6

Language of the MEXICA AKA the AZTEC language.

Question 7

Huitzilopochtli

Answer 7

The main god of the Aztecs had the form of a HUMMINGBIRD

Question 8

Lake Texcoco

Answer 8

The lake were the Aztecs settles their capital.

Question 9

Tenochtitlan

Answer 9

The capitol city in the center of the LAKE TEXCOCO

Question 10

Chinampas

Answer 10

Grand Lush and Lavish floating gardens in and around the TENOCHTITLAN

Question 11

Hernan Cortes

Answer 11

Was the main Spanish CONQUISTADOR who came to Mexico from Cuba in
1519 until 1521 AD. He was 34 y/o when he left Cuba with 11 ships, 600 men, 16 horses, and 11
cannons. They land in modern day VERACRUZ and set up a base for 4 months. He was here for the
Gold, Glory, and God.

Question 12

Moctezuma

Answer 12

Was the leader of the aztecs at this time. He also believed that Cortes was the
return of their god QUEZTACOATL and welcomed him with open arms.

Question 13

Quetzalcoatl

Answer 13

Was a God in the Aztec religion and they believed that CORTES was the return
of this god. Feathered serpent

Question 14

Dona Maria (La Malinche)

Answer 14

Was the translator and mistress of CORTES later became his

wife.thought to be a traitor by the aztecs

Question 15

Tlaxcalans

Answer 15

was a major group that the Aztecs had conquered which ally themselves with the
Spanish against the Aztecs

Question 16

La Noche Triste

Answer 16

This was the night that the Spanish battled the Aztecs in TENOCHTITLAN
only to lose this battle. They regroup and come back a year later. Massacre of Spanish

Question 17

Epidemic Disease (mainly small pox)

Answer 17

This was what along with the weaponry of the Spanish
helped them decimate the MEXICA and most of the new world. Along with weaponry, this helped the
Spanish rid the new world of Indians

Question 18

Encomienda system

Answer 18

This was a harsh policy imposed by the Spanish on Indians to work the
land and exploit them.

Question 19

Bartolome de Las Casas

Answer 19

Was a former conquistador turned priest who wanted to protect the
Indians and proceeded to write “A VERY BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE
INDIES” which the Spanish enemies at the time used as propaganda to raise money to try to beat the
Spanish in conquering this new world.

Question 20

Columbian Exchange

Answer 20

exchange of goods, animals and plants between the New World and
the Old World from Europe to Americas: horses, weapons, people, plants, disease from Americas to
Europe: tobacco, sugar, corn, potatoes