imperial expansion

methods of colonization

• brutal violence

• economic and political control

• cultural conversion

why were empires expanding?

• improvement in technology - could travel further

• greed for money - lots of gold in south america

• rivalry - bigger empire meant more resources

• religion - converting people to christianity

• explorers - columbus was given support by Queen Isabella

limitations of colonizing south america

it would be difficult to colonize them as they were so far away from other countries

1325

aztec empire found their capital in Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico)

1400

inka empire emerges

1533

spanish conquer the aztecs and inkas, supressing indigenous life

key details on aztecs

• old, powerful, city full of beautiful buildings

• wealthy - beautiful items - gold, silver, jade, turkey, venison

• connections with other empires - trade routes, bridges

• controlled - in markets no one stole or cheated

• scholarly - poets, historians

• violent - killed anyone hwo attempted to fight against them

main aztec methods of control

• brutal violence

• economic control

key details on inkas

• large empire - ten million people

• thrived despite not having wheels, horses or written language

• controlled - empire divided into 4 quaters

• powerful, and underrestimated by their enemies

• their gods were important to them - prayed to them before battle - If the chief of any neighbouring territory refused to pay their respects to King Pachacuti, the Inkas marched against them with a large army. The Inkas desolated towns with fire and sword, and with very great cruelty.

main inka methods of control

• economic and political control

spanish key points

• lots of violence

• they massacred the aztecs to gain control

• leaders were captured anc their capitals were taken over

1572

inkas fall, ending all resistance to spanish colonisation

depictions of the battles with the spanish

• aztec depiction - lots of violence, spanish were armed with horses and shields, while aztects had very few weapons

• inka depiction - spanish were ruthless as the inka leader was on his knees, and although there is no evidence of violence he is being surrounded by the conquistadors