WorksheetsWorldviews: Aztecs & Spanish
Total questions: 17
Worksheet time: 9mins
If you were to write a book about why the Spaniards were so successful in their conquest of the Aztecs, the most likely title would be:
Greed for Gold
The Quest for Glory
The Power of God
Guns, Germs and Steel
A person with a Spanish worldview at the time of conquest would have defended the Spanish victory arguing that:
Gold taken from the Aztecs would add to Spain's wealth
Aztec exploration of new lands helped the Spanish
Victory was revenge for previous encounters between the Aztecs and the Spanish
The Spaniards were unsuccessful in converting Aztec souls
Conquistador's Formula
Step 1 - An expedition sets out from a recent colony
Step 2 - After landing in a new region, the Spanish would try to meet peacefully with the first groups of Indigenous peoples they encountered
Step 3 - The Spanish would invite the leader of the most powerful group in the area to a meeting to exchange gifts. The the Spanish would seize the leader and threaten to kill him unless his followers obeyed their orders.
Step 4 - If they did have to fight, the Spanish would try to do so on open ground.
Step 5 - The leader of the expedition would remain as governor of the new colony and his second in command would organize the next expedition.
Taken together, these steps suggest that the MAIN AIM of the Conquistador's Formula was to
ensure that Spain clearly established trading links with the strongest group in a region.
allow Indigenous groups the opportunity to cooperate with the Spanish.
ensure that Spain took over a region, peacefully if possible but violently if necessary
ensure that Spain develops military alliances with the weaker groups in a region
Step 1 - Spanish Conquistadors make alliances with groups which had been previously conquered by the Aztecs
Step 2 - Cortes, while in Cuba, hears rumors of a large and wealthy civilization in the interior of Mexico
Step 3 - Spanish conquistadors are welcomed as guests into Tenochtitlan, where they seize Moctezuma as a hostage.
Step 4 - Cortes sails to the Mexican coast and burns his ships to prevent any of his soldiers from deserting the expedition.
The correct Chronological order of the steps is...
1,2,3,4
2,3,1,4
4,1,2,3
2,4,1,3
Who led the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs
Christopher Columbus
Hernan Cortes
Francisco Pizarro
Diego Velazquez
What did Cortes do to prevent a mutiny by his men before marching on Tenochtitlan?
He burned his ships
He moved his ships to a nearby island
He ran his ships argound
He hired local indigenous groups to guard his ships
What is a conquistador?
15th Century Spanish soldier, explorer and adventurer
15th Century group of indigenous soldiers & translators
16th Century group of indigenous soldiers & translators
16th Century Spanish soldier, explorer and adventurer
What was responsible for the highest number of Aztec & indigenous deaths after the arrival of Cortes?
Spanish Guns
Spanish Swords
Smallpox
Spanish dogs
Which tactic helped the Spanish to conquer the Aztecs
converting everyone to Catholicism
bringing offerings for the Aztec gods
working with neighboring tribes who did not like the Aztecs
bringing an entire army to attack the Aztecs
The Aztec Emperor who invited Cortes to the Aztec capital was:
Moctezuma
Moctezuma II
Cuahtemoc
Ahuitzotl
The treaty created by the Pope to divide the world into Spanish and Portuguese colonies is called:
The Treaty of Iberia
The Treaty of Reconquista
The Papal Treaty
The Treaty of Tordesillas
Cortes made himself Governor of which city before marching his Conquistadors in land?
Tenochtitlan
Veracruz
Cancun
Velasquez
The Aztecs believed that Cortes was which Aztec god?
Quetzalcoatl
Huitzilpotchli
Tlaloc
Tezcatlipoca
Which event in Spain caused a lack of land for Spanish nobles to earn as rewards for great victories?
Muslim control of Iberia
The Reconquista
The Spanish Inquisition
The Crusades
The main motivations for Spanish Conquistadors was:
Gold, Glory & Goods
Government, Glory and God
Gold, Glory and God
Gold, God and Goods
What happened in the Noche Triste (Sad Night)?
The Spanish defeated the Aztecs on the causeways
Cuahutemoc died of smallpox
The Aztecs defeated the Spanish on the causeways
The Aztecs attempted to escape Tenochtitlan
Who of the following were not translators for Cortes?
Dona Maria
Malinche
Velasquez
Aguilar
