What were the causes and effects of contact between Hernan
Cortes and the Spanish Conquistadors, and the Aztecs?
Hernan Cortes and the Spanish Conquistadors are best remembered for conquering the
Aztec empire in 1591 and claiming Mexico for Spain. The expedition resulted in both positive
and negative effects. All of which were initiated by contact between the two civilizations.
Heritage & beliefs, fanatical greed and from a modern-day perspective, poor decisions,
which lead to the devastating fate of Tenochtitlan and the fall of the Aztec empire. If we
explore the complete history of the fall of the Aztec empire, only then, we can understand the
true causes and effects of this expedition, which cannot be underestimated.
The greed of the Spanish lead to the eventual destruction of
Tenochtitlan, an immense change in living conditions for the natives
as well as a richer nutritional diet in parts of Asia and Europe. Life
before the Spanish arrived was significantly balanced and not so
painstakingly hard. No one even slaves, were worked to death. People
had their rights. Comparing this to after the conquer of Tenochtitlan
life was most literally a living hell. At the time, the Spanish had two
goals, economic benefits by claiming land for Spain and spreading
Christianity. Driven by greed, Cortes and the conquistadors undertook
the challenge of setting off on an expedition which was according to
them, an expedition to Asia(America had not yet been ‘discovered’).
Being the reason behind native Americans being called Indians.
At arrival, the Spanish were accepted into Tenochtitlan and received
god-like treatment. From this, they saw all of the wealth and gold
within the city, motivating them to succeed. When the Spanish could
see that their plan wasn’t going anywhere, they began vandalising
the religious statues of the gods, making the people unhappy. Montezuma banished them
from the city, a decision he surely must have regretted. The Spanish a year following, re-
planned and attacked Tenochtitlan, but this time in alliance with the Tlaxcalans (the Aztecs
enemies). The two civilizations hatred for each other, being the
biggest advantage for the Spanish. During the attack, Montezuma A map of the route taken by Hernán
Cortés from the east coast to the Aztec
was killed and the Spanish had won. The people of Tenochtitlan were capital of Tenochtitlán. The Art
Archive/Museo Ciudad Mexico/Dagli Orti.
devastated and believed that the gods were unhappy with them:
, “Flowers and Songs of Sorrow” (1) We are mortal men. We have
seen bloodshed and pain where
Nothing but flowers and songs of once we saw beauty and valor.
sorrow are left in Mexico and
Tlatelolco, where once we saw We are crushed to the ground;
warriors and wise men. We know we lie in ruins. There is nothing
it is true that we must perish, for but grief and suffering in Mexico
we are mortal men. and Tlatelolco, where once we
saw beauty and valor.
You, the Giver of Life, you have
ordained it. We wander here and Have you grown weary of your
there in our desolate poverty servants? Are you angry with
your servants, O Giver of Life? The colonization of
the Spanish in
America rapidly changed the overall population of Tenochtitlan. The
civilizations of America had never been exposed to people beyond
their region, having them vulnerable to becoming affected by
diseases they had no immunity to. When the Spanish came to
America, they brought back from Europe... “a continent ravaged by
epidemics and diseases” (2)
many ailments that accompanied them to America. Major outbreaks
of smallpox and other diseases, caused a severe decline in
population from over 30 million before to just 1.5-3 million survivors.
Because of the lack of nutrition, harsh living conditions and outbreaks of disease amongst the
natives, many who managed to survive were weak and unable to work leaving the Spanish
looking for more labourers. The Spanish then bought African slaves in exchange for fruits &
vegetables, spices and stock from which further trading was
An illustration from a sixteenth-century done. Effects of the Triangular trade were countless. The
codex showing native Aztecs suffering
from smallpox ethnic makeup of the population of Tenochtitlan drastically
changes. Meaning that the majority of inhabitants living in
Tenochtitlan were no longer Native but were either African or European. Other effects
included family separations and future generations being a mix of native American, European
or African heritage.
Cortes and the Spanish Conquistadors, and the Aztecs?
Hernan Cortes and the Spanish Conquistadors are best remembered for conquering the
Aztec empire in 1591 and claiming Mexico for Spain. The expedition resulted in both positive
and negative effects. All of which were initiated by contact between the two civilizations.
Heritage & beliefs, fanatical greed and from a modern-day perspective, poor decisions,
which lead to the devastating fate of Tenochtitlan and the fall of the Aztec empire. If we
explore the complete history of the fall of the Aztec empire, only then, we can understand the
true causes and effects of this expedition, which cannot be underestimated.
The greed of the Spanish lead to the eventual destruction of
Tenochtitlan, an immense change in living conditions for the natives
as well as a richer nutritional diet in parts of Asia and Europe. Life
before the Spanish arrived was significantly balanced and not so
painstakingly hard. No one even slaves, were worked to death. People
had their rights. Comparing this to after the conquer of Tenochtitlan
life was most literally a living hell. At the time, the Spanish had two
goals, economic benefits by claiming land for Spain and spreading
Christianity. Driven by greed, Cortes and the conquistadors undertook
the challenge of setting off on an expedition which was according to
them, an expedition to Asia(America had not yet been ‘discovered’).
Being the reason behind native Americans being called Indians.
At arrival, the Spanish were accepted into Tenochtitlan and received
god-like treatment. From this, they saw all of the wealth and gold
within the city, motivating them to succeed. When the Spanish could
see that their plan wasn’t going anywhere, they began vandalising
the religious statues of the gods, making the people unhappy. Montezuma banished them
from the city, a decision he surely must have regretted. The Spanish a year following, re-
planned and attacked Tenochtitlan, but this time in alliance with the Tlaxcalans (the Aztecs
enemies). The two civilizations hatred for each other, being the
biggest advantage for the Spanish. During the attack, Montezuma A map of the route taken by Hernán
Cortés from the east coast to the Aztec
was killed and the Spanish had won. The people of Tenochtitlan were capital of Tenochtitlán. The Art
Archive/Museo Ciudad Mexico/Dagli Orti.
devastated and believed that the gods were unhappy with them:
, “Flowers and Songs of Sorrow” (1) We are mortal men. We have
seen bloodshed and pain where
Nothing but flowers and songs of once we saw beauty and valor.
sorrow are left in Mexico and
Tlatelolco, where once we saw We are crushed to the ground;
warriors and wise men. We know we lie in ruins. There is nothing
it is true that we must perish, for but grief and suffering in Mexico
we are mortal men. and Tlatelolco, where once we
saw beauty and valor.
You, the Giver of Life, you have
ordained it. We wander here and Have you grown weary of your
there in our desolate poverty servants? Are you angry with
your servants, O Giver of Life? The colonization of
the Spanish in
America rapidly changed the overall population of Tenochtitlan. The
civilizations of America had never been exposed to people beyond
their region, having them vulnerable to becoming affected by
diseases they had no immunity to. When the Spanish came to
America, they brought back from Europe... “a continent ravaged by
epidemics and diseases” (2)
many ailments that accompanied them to America. Major outbreaks
of smallpox and other diseases, caused a severe decline in
population from over 30 million before to just 1.5-3 million survivors.
Because of the lack of nutrition, harsh living conditions and outbreaks of disease amongst the
natives, many who managed to survive were weak and unable to work leaving the Spanish
looking for more labourers. The Spanish then bought African slaves in exchange for fruits &
vegetables, spices and stock from which further trading was
An illustration from a sixteenth-century done. Effects of the Triangular trade were countless. The
codex showing native Aztecs suffering
from smallpox ethnic makeup of the population of Tenochtitlan drastically
changes. Meaning that the majority of inhabitants living in
Tenochtitlan were no longer Native but were either African or European. Other effects
included family separations and future generations being a mix of native American, European
or African heritage.
