Slides for Second Year Junior Cert History on the Spanish Conqueror-Explorers - Cortes and Pizarro.

1. Spanish Conquerors of South America

2. Cortes and Pizarro
Cortes: Conqueror of the Aztecs in Mexico
Pizarro: Conqueror of the Incas in Peru
Cortes Pizarro

3. The Aztec and Inca empires

4. The Aztecs of Mexico
King – Montezuma
Tenochtitlan was the capital of the Aztec empire and was built
on islands on a huge lake

5. Montezuma – King of the Aztecs

6. Aztec civilisation
A warlike civilization, like the Celts in Europe
Built many elaborate temples in the shape of Pyramids
Believed in Human Sacrifice to please their Gods

7. Cortes
The Aztecs believed Cortes was a God when he was first
seen by them
The Aztecs had never seen horses and thought the
Spaniards were Centaurs (half man, half horse)

8. Cortes
Cortes was welcomed by Montezuma to Tenochtitlan
However ordinary Aztecs became angry when they saw the
Spanish robbing all the city’s gold
Drove Cortes out of the city
However Cortes later returned with other “native” allies and
massacred the Aztecs
Aztecs were also killed by diseases, especially smallpox
Cortes was later named Governor of “New Spain” (Mexico)
and built Mexico City on the ruins of Tenochtitlan

9. Matchup Exercise
Cortes Conquered the Aztecs
Mexico Aztec Temples
Montezuma half man, half horse
Tenochtitlan Aztec religious tradition
Centaur new to the Aztecs
Horses Where the Aztecs lived
Pyramids Conquered the Incas
Sacrifice Located in Peru
Pizarro Aztec King
Incas Aztec Capital

10. Pizarro
Pizarro was a Spanish Adventurer who had heard of the Incas
and wanted to capture their Gold
The Incas were a well developed and peaceful civilisation who
lived in what is now known as Peru
When the Incas saw Pizarro and his small army they were
curious and friendly – however Pizarro took advantage of
them and conquered their capital, Cuzco

11. Life after the Conquistadors
For the Incas and Aztecs, life after the Conquistadors was very
hard – they were used as slaves, treated very harshly and died
from diseases brought by the Europeans
The Incas were the first to grow potatoes and the Spanish
brought potatoes to Europe from the Incas

12. Matchup
Peru Mountains where the Incas lived
Pizarro Conqueror of the Inca
Incas Disease which killed many Incas
Potatoes Weapon used by the Spanish
Gold Country where Incas lived
Cuzco Vegetable grown by Incas
Atahualpa Conquered by Pizarro
Cannons King of the Inca
Andes Inca Capital City
Smallpox What the Spanish wanted