Name: ______________________________________________

Lesson 7: Level 3 & 4

Interactions: Europe & The Americas
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Background information: In 1519, Hernando Cortes landed on the shores of Mexico. Spain had already
colonized several islands in the Caribbean, and Cortes was one of many conquistadors who were determined
to continue inland and claim even more land for Spain. After he landed, he heard of a vast and rich empire in the
interior ruled by a people called the Aztecs. Cortes lead his men through treacherous mountainous terrain, and
after weeks of trekking they arrived at the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. The leader, Montezuma, was
somewhat friendly to the visitors at first, since he believed that Cortes might be a god dressed in armor. He
agreed to give Cortes some of the empire’s gold supply, yet Cortes was not satisfied. He claimed he had “a
disease of the heart that only gold could cure,” and decided that he and his men must completely take over the
Aztecs.
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However, Cortes was greatly outnumbered - he had only 600 men, while the Aztec empire numbered in the
millions. His men thought he was far too ambitious to conquer such a large and powerful empire with so few men,
to the point where Cortes had to burn the ships that had brought them from Cuba to the mainland to prevent his
men from abandoning him.
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Your task is to analyze the situation by doing the following:
Step 1: Examine and analyze evidence of their encounters to determine the advantages of each group (level 3)
Step 2: Choose a perspective and make recommendations to one of the following groups (level 4):
to Cortes and the Spanish, giving advice on how the Aztecs can be defeated
to Montezuma and the Aztecs, warning them about the strategies and intentions of these foreigners
Whichever perspective you choose, you must include advantages of both the Aztecs and the Spanish. (see back
page for rubric).
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Level 3: Examining and analyzing the evidence.
Examine each document and answer the questions that follow.
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Document A: Secondary Source: “The Aztec Empire” in Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer, 2008; p.
590
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“With a core population recently estimated at 5 to 6 million people, the Aztec Empire was a loosely structured
and unstable conquest state that witnessed frequent rebellions by its subject peoples. Conquered peoples and
cities were required to regularly deliver to their Aztec rulers impressive quantities of textiles and clothing,
military supplies, jewelry, and other luxuries, various foodstuffs, animal products, building materials, rubber
balls, paper, and more. The process was overseen by local imperial tribute collectors, who sent the required
goods on to Tenochtitlan, a metropolis of 150,000 to 200,000 people, where they were meticulously recorded.”
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Document A: According to this source, what is life like for people in the Aztec Empire? What is required of
conquered peoples? _______________________________________________________________________________
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How might this factor into a conflict between the Aztecs and the Spanish (or any other invading group?)
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Document B: Human sacrifice to honor the sun, Aztec codex, 16th century.

What is happening in this image? How does this connect to the

Aztecs’ religious beliefs that you read about for homework?
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How does this relate to the information in document A? How
might this factor into a conflict between the Aztecs and the
Spanish (or any other invading group?) _____________________
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Document C: Primary Source, Excerpt from The Broken Spears, an Aztec account of the meeting of Cortes
and Motecuhzoma, 1519.
![Upon meeting Cortes, Motecuhzoma explained], "This was foretold by the kings who governed your city, and
now it has taken place. You have come back to us; you have come down from the sky. Rest now, and take
possession of your royal houses. Welcome to your land, my lords! "
When Motecuhzoma had finished, La Malinche translated his address into Spanish so that the Captain could
understand it. Cortés replied in his strange and savage tongue, speaking first to La Malinche: "Tell
Motecuhzoma that we are his friends. There is nothing to fear. We have wanted to see him for a long time, and
now we have seen his face and heard his words. Tell him that we love him well and that our hearts are
contented."
Then he said to Motecuhzoma: "We have come to your house in Mexico as friends. There is nothing to fear."
La Malinche translated this speech and the Spaniards grasped Motecuhzoma's hands and patted his back to
show their affection for him....
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Document C: Describe the meeting of Cortes and Motecuhzoma. Why does Motecuhzoma treat Cortes the way
he does? _________________________________________________________________________________________
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Do you think Cortes is being truthful about what he says to Motecuhzoma? Why or why not?__________________
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If they don’t speak the same language, how are they able to understand each other? _________________________
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Document D: “Divide and conquer:  Cortes and Malinche negotiate with leaders on route to Tenochtitlan”

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Document D: What do you think is going on in this
painting? How does the title help you figure this out?
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Who is in the painting next to Cortes, and what is her
role? How does this relate to Document C?
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Document E: Spanish "gunboats" fire on Tenochtitlan
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Document E: What advantage does this painting portray?
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Document F: Primary Source: Aztec account of the
massacre at the temple in May 1520; Florentine codex
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When the dance was loveliest and when song was linked to song, the Spaniards were seized with an urge to kill
the celebrants. They all ran forward, armed as if for battle. They closed the entrances and passageways...then
[they] rushed into the Sacred Patio to slaughter the inhabitants...they attacked the man who was drumming
and cut off his arms. Then they cut off his head, and it rolled across the floor. They attacked all the celebrants
stabbing them, spearing them, striking them with swords...others they beheaded...or split their heads to
pieces...The blood of the warriors flowed like water and gathered into pools...They invaded every room, hunting
and killing…
Document F: What were the Aztecs doing when the Spanish attacked? ____________________________
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How are the Spaniards portrayed? What advantages do they appear to have according to this source?
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Document G: Illustrated panel from the Florentine Codex, a compendium of information on Aztec people and
history by Bernardino de Sahagún, a 16th-century Spanish Franciscan missionary
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Who and what is being portrayed in this painting? (use
the title to help you)
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Who will this be an advantage for, and what will be the
short and long term effects of this particular event?
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Document H: Graph of Population Decline in
Central America, 1500 - 1610
What happens to the population in Mexico
from 1500 - 1610? ______________________
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How might this change connect with
document G? ___________________________
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Synthesis: Why were the Spanish able to defeat the Aztecs, despite the fact that they were greatly outnumbered?
Explain your answer by categorizing your evidence into three general topics of advantage, along with the
documents that support that category.

Category #1:! Category #3:!

! Category #2:! !
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Supported by documents: ! Supported by documents:
Supported by documents:

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Level 3: _____________
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Level 4: Choosing a perspective and making an argument.
Choose a perspective (either Spanish or Aztec) and summarize your findings by writing advice to either Hernando
Cortes (about how his army, which is much smaller, could possibly defeat the mighty Aztecs), OR to Montezuma
(about the strategies and intentions of the Spanish and how to defend his empire agains them). Whichever
perspective you choose, your letter/speech must:
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Identify your perspective and intention (meaning, who are you trying to help?)
Contain a detailed and specific explanation of at least THREE strategies or advantages that you think will
ultimately be victorious
Reference at least FIVE documents as evidence to support your strategies
Be well organized and well argued
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