What was the Spanish conquest of the Americas?

Towards the end of the 15th century, a period of discovery and exploration began in Europe. In 1492, explorer Christopher ColumbusChristopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus (/kəˈlʌmbəs/; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the …

What happened in the Spanish conquest?

The Spanish campaign against the Aztec Empire had its final victory on 13 August 1521, when a coalition army of Spanish forces and native Tlaxcalan warriors led by Cortés and Xicotencatl the Younger captured the emperor Cuauhtémoc and Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire.

What were the key events in the Spanish conquest?

Timeline

  • 1492: Columbus lands on an island, what is probably now called the Dominican Republic.
  • 1502: Moctezuma II becomes tlatoani, ruler of Tenochtitlan and a vast empire in Mexico.
  • 1511-14: Spaniards conquer Cuba and establish base there.
  • 1517: First Spanish expedition to explore Mexico, Mexicas observe omens of doom.

Who led the Spanish conquest of the Americas?

When the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519, there were around 489 city-states in the Aztec empire, ruled by the powerful ruler Montezuma II (also known as Moctezuma).

Who won the Spanish conquest?

conquistador Hernan Cortés

Between 1519 and 1521 the Spanish, under the leadership of conquistador Hernan Cortés, conquered the Aztec Empire.

Why was the Spanish conquest good?

Positive effects. Spain’s purposes to colonize Mexico and the other colonies were getting new land, resources, and to spread Christianity. As they conquered Mexico, they got new land. Spain plundered lots of resources from their colonies, opened up trade and get profits and spread Christianity.

What was the biggest impact of the Spanish-American War and why?

U.S. victory in the war produced a peace treaty that compelled the Spanish to relinquish claims on Cuba, and to cede sovereignty over Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States. The United States also annexed the independent state of Hawaii during the conflict.

What happened after the Spanish conquest?

By August of 1521, the glorious city of Tenochtitlan was in ruins. The Aztec lands were renamed “New Spain” and the colonization process began. Conquistadors were replaced by bureaucrats and colonial officials, and Mexico would be a Spanish colony until it began its fight for independence in 1810.

What are the three most important reasons for the Spanish conquest?

1 Answer. The overthrow of the Aztec Empire by Cortez and his expedition rests on three factors: The fragility of that empire, the tactical advantages of Spanish technology, and smallpox.

Who did the Spanish conquer?

the Aztec empire

Between 1519 and 1521 Hernán Cortés and a small band of men brought down the Aztec empire in Mexico, and between 1532 and 1533 Francisco Pizarro and his followers toppled the Inca empire in Peru. These conquests laid the foundations for colonial regimes that would transform the Americas.