Did you know? Iron played a big role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. The indigenous peoples of the New World didn’t use iron and relied on older weapons. Iron was important because it was used to make swords, daggers, lances and knives. It was also key for crossbows, cannons and firearms, and helped make armour, helmets and shields more effective. This gave the Spanish a major advantage that helped them defeat the Aztecs. It took the Spaniards about two years to destroy the Aztec civilisation. Many Aztecs were killed by the conquistadors, but thousands more died from famine and diseases brought by the Europeans. Those who survived lost their dignity, wealth and temples. The Spaniards believed it was their duty to convert the Aztecs to Christianity, which caused the Aztecs to lose much of their culture. 6.4.6 Pizarro Cortés’ victory over the Aztecs initiated European expansion in the Americas. Over two centuries, the Spanish controlled several Native American societies, including the Inca and the Maya. The Inca, living in present-day Peru and Chile, faced Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1526. Conquering the Inca was challenging due to mountainous terrain and climate, but Spanish weapons and disease eventually weakened their resistance. Lima was founded in 1535, and the Viceroyalty of Peru was established in1542. The Maya lived on the Yucatán Peninsula and presented unique challenges. As the Maya lacked a central capital, the Spanish had to conquer each independent city-state individually, taking over 150 years to subdue the last Mayan city. 6.4 SkillBuilder activity HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Select one of the following individuals and consider the significance of his role in the colonisation of the Americas: Columbus; Balboa; Cortés; Pizarro. Consider the following questions to guide your thinking and make some notes: • To what extent were people’s lives changed due to the actions or decisions of the individual? • How long-lasting were the consequences of their impact? • How can the consequences still be felt today? When you have recorded some thoughts for the questions above, compare them with a classmate who selected a different individual. As a pair, or in small groups, try to rank the different individuals. Can you make a claim about which are more significant? How have you reached your conclusions?
6.4
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 1, 2, 3
LEVEL2
LEVEL3
4, 5, 10
6, 7, 8, 9
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. What were the two main reasons for Spanish settlements in the New World?
A. Silver B. Gold
C. To convert the Aztecs to Christianity D. To convert the Aztecs to Buddhism
TOPIC6 The Spanish and the Americas 135
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