Page 50 - 100 Events That Made History

Aztecs

and Incas

defeated

Two great civilizations
DESTROYED by fortune hunters

When the Spanish landed in the
Americas, they found civilizations that
had flourished for centuries. But within
a few decades, those ancient cultures
had been wiped out by the newcomers.

Treasure hunters “conquistadors”—which
The Spanish were called
When explorer Christopher means “conquerors.”
Columbus returned to Spain in
1493 with tales of the treasures he
had seen in the Americas, other
SPANISH ADVENTURERS were
tempted to see for themselves.
They set sail in search of
wealth, especially gold.

Cortés and Moctezuma
Spaniard HERNAN CORTÉS
landed in Mexico in 1519, with
an army of 600 men. When he was
brought to Moctezuma II, leader of
the Aztecs, he was welcomed with
lavish gifts. Things deteriorated,
however, when Cortés took Moctezuma
hostage and made himself governor.
What came before… Moctezuma was killed soon after.

One of the earliest American THE MAYA (400 BCE–1697 CE)
civilizations, the OLMECS of Central America devised
(1200–400 BCE) were farmers a form of writing and made
who also produced striking books, called codices, that
artwork, including giant, told stories about Maya life
carved stone heads. and mythology.
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