Chapter 3: The Conquest of America

What were the three major motivations for European exploration?

God, Gold, and glory—spreading christianity, gaining wealth, and increasing personal/political power and prestige.

why did europeans want new routes to asia?

they wanted direct access to valuable goods such as spices, silk, and other luxury products while avoiding expensive trade intermediaries.

which european country led early atlantic exploration?

portugal

who was prince henry the navigator?

a portuguese royal who supported and encouraged portuguese exploration along the african coast.

who was bartolomeu dias?

a portuguese explorer who reached the southern tip of africa in 1488, showing that ships could reach the indian ocean from the atlantic

who was vasco de gama?

portuguese explorer who reached india in 1498 by sailing around africa

who was christopher columbus?

a european explorer who sailed west for spain looking for a route to asia but reached the caribbean in 1492.

what year did columbus reach the americas?

1492

what were the names of columbus’s three ships?

nina, pinta, and santa maria

did columbus realize he had reached a new continent?

no he believed he had reached asia or islands near asia.

why is 1492 historically important?

it marked the beginning of sustained european exploration, conquest, colonization, and exchange with the americas.

what is the columbian exchange?

the exchange of people, plants, animals, diseases, and goods between the eastern and western hemispheres following eiropean contact.

what was the treaty of tordesillas?

a 1492 agreement between spain and portugal that divided much of the newly claimed non-european world between them

why did brazil become portuguese?

the treaty of tordesillas placed the territory that became brazil within portugal’s sphere.

whop was vasco nunez de balboa?

a spanish explorer who crossed panama and saw the pacific ocean in 1513

who was hernan cortes?

the spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the aztec empire

when did cortes arrive in mexico?

1519

who was moctezuma II?

the aztec ruler when cortes arrived in mexico

what was tenochtitlan?

the capital of the aztec empire and one of the largest cities in the americas.

who were the mexica?

the people commonly known as the aztecs

why did some indigenous groups help cortes?

they were enemies of the aztecs and saw an opportunity to resist aztec rule

who were the tlaxcalans?

an indigenous group that became one of cortes’s most important allies against the aztecs

why was the aztec empire vulnerable to the spanish?

the empire had many enemies and the spainsh exploited existing polititcal tensions and recruited indigenous allies..

what happened when cortes entered tenochtitlan?

cortes and his forces entered the city and eventually took moctezuma hostage.

what happened in 1520 when the spanish were forced out of tenochtitlan?

the spanish suffered major losses during their retreat, an event known as la noche triste (night of sorrows)

what was one of the most devastating factors in the conquest of the aztecs?

small pox and other european diseases

why were european diseases so devastating to indigenous populations?

indigenous americans had little or no previous exposure to many european diseases and therefore lacked immunity

when did tenochtitlan fall?

1521

what happened when tenochtitlan fell?

the aztec empire lost its independence and spain began establishing colonial control over central mexico.

who was francisco pizarro?

the spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the inca empire

what empire did pizarro conquer?

inca empire

who was atahualpa?

an inca ruler who was captured and later executed by pizarro.

what weakened the inca empire before pizarro arrived?

a civil war between atahualpa and his brother huascar.

when did pizarro capture atahualpa?

1532, at cajamarca

why was capturing atahualpa important?

the inca empire was highly centralized, so capturing its ruler disrupted its political leadership and gave the spanish leverage.

what happened to atahualpa?

he was held for ransom and eventually executed by the spanish in 1533.

what happened to cusco in 1533?

pizarro and his forces captured cusco, the inca capital

what were conquistadors?

spanish conquerers and explorers who sought land, wealth, status, and opportunities in the americas.

what. does god gold and glory mean?

the three major motivations behind european expansion: religion, wealth, and personal / political prestige.

what military advantages did the spanish have?

steel weapons, armor, horses, firearms, cross bows, and european military experience.

why were horses important to the spanish?

indigenous americans had never encountered european cavalry before, making mounted soldiers frightening and military effective.

what were the major reasons the spanish defeated the aztecs and incas?

military technology, indigenous allies, disease, political divisions, spanish strategy, and capturing indigenous rulers.

did the spanish conquer the aztecs completely on their own?

no indigenous allies were expremely important to the spanish victory.

how did indigenous political divisions help the spanish?

groups that opposed the aztecs or were involved in conflicts within the inca empire could assist the spanish or weaken resistance.

what was el dorado?

a legendary source of enormous wealth and gold that motivated spanish explorers to continue exploring.

who was lope de aguirre?

a spanish conquistador who participated in expeditions and eventually rebelled against spanish authority.

what happened to francisco pizarro?

he was assasinated in 1541 by spanish rivals

what happened after the spanish conquered indigenous empires?

spain established colonial gov and began controlling land, labor, tribute, religion, and indigenous populations.

what is the biggest idea to remember from ch 3?

spain conquered the aztecs and inca empires through a combination of military tech, indigenous alliances, disease, political divisions, and spanish strategy—not simply because a small number of spaniards were stronger than millions of indigenous people.