Why did the Spanish want to conquer the Aztecs?

Why did the Spanish want to conquer the Aztecs?

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador, or conqueror, best remembered for conquering the Aztec empire in 1521 and claiming Mexico for Spain. “He was a smart, ambitious man who wanted to appropriate new land for the Spanish crown, convert native inhabitants to Catholicism, and plunder the lands for gold and riches.”

How much gold did the Spanish take from the Aztecs?

At that point, it is estimated that the Spanish had amassed some eight thousand pounds of gold and silver, not to mention plenty of feathers, cotton, jewels and more.

What was the biggest wooden warship ever built?

The longest wooden ship ever built, the six-masted New England gaff schooner Wyoming, had a “total length” of 137 metres (449 ft) (measured from tip of jib boom (30 metres) to tip of spanker boom (27 metres) and a “length on deck” of 107 m (351 ft).

What are three main reasons the Spanish conquistadors were able to conquer the vast Aztec empire?

Hernan Cortes was able to conquer the Aztec Empire by scaring the natives with the 16 horses, gaining alliances with the other enemies of the Aztec, having superior and better weapons than the natives (like guns), having armor, and having steel.

How much would it cost to build a Spanish galleon?

With masts more than 100 feet tall, the 496-ton ship cost $5 million to build and is the only galleon class vessel sailing the world today.

How much gold did Pizarro take from the Incas?

Atahuallpa offered to fill a room with treasure as ransom for his release, and Pizarro accepted. Eventually, some 24 tons of gold and silver were brought to the Spanish from throughout the Inca empire.

What was the biggest pirate ship called?

La Concorde

What did Spanish galleon ships carry?

The largest galleons were built by the Spanish and the Portuguese for their profitable overseas trade; the famed “Manila galleons” of Spain made an annual trip between Acapulco, Mex., and the Philippines, carrying silver west and raw silk east, for more than 250 years.

What kind of ship is a galleon?

sailing ship

What is a Spanish galleon ship?

A Spanish Galleon was a huge sailing ship that was comprised of multiple decks that were constructed and used by European states between the 16th and 18th centuries. In fact, in English, “galleon” translates into “man of war.” These kinds of ships were longer, lower, and narrower–most were over 1000 tons.

Are there any Spanish galleons left?

In 1733, a hurricane struck a Spanish galleon fleet off Marathon in the Keys. One of the ships, the San Jose, was carrying almost 7 million pesos in gold when it sank. Buried in sand under 30 feet of water, the wreck site today is a state historic preserve.

What factors allowed the Spanish to conquer the Aztecs?

  • Superior Weapons. Spanish weaponry was far superior to anything used by the Aztecs or Incas.
  • Alliances and Experience. The invading Spanish forces also took advantage of internal divisions within the Aztec and Inca empires.
  • The Power of Horses.
  • Deadly Disease.

How did they build Spanish galleons?

Galleons generally carried three or more masts with a lateen fore-and-aft rig on the rear masts, were carvel built with a prominent squared off raised stern, and used square-rigged sail plans on their fore-mast and main-masts.

How many Spanish galleons were lost?

The hurricane advanced quickly and, one by one, the ships were wrecked. The Nuestra Senora de la Regla sank, sending 200 people and 120 tons of coins to a watery grave. The Santa Cristo de San Ramon went down with 120 sailors aboard. In all, somewhere between 700 and 1,000 people lost their lives in the wrecks.

What kind of ship is the Black Pearl?

East Indiaman Galleon

Why were the Aztecs afraid of the Spanish?

The Aztecs through they were sent by their god, Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl, a very important god to the Aztecs, had vowed he would appear when the end of the world was near, to save the Aztec people. The Aztecs always believed the end of the world was near. That’s why they scarified so many people.

Why were the English ships better than the Spanish?

Firstly, was the design of English ships facing down the Spanish. Elizabeth had been persuaded that she should have ships which were faster and easier to move than the Spanish ships, meaning that they could have turned their guns on enemies faster than the enemy could turn on them.

How big was a Spanish galleon?

150 feet

Where did the Aztecs hide their gold?

Some believe it’s in Kanab and that it’s hidden at the pond of Three Lakes Ranch. “Archeologists believe that the Aztecs thought of this as their homeland,” Brown explained. It’s said that the Aztecs may have used a clever strategy called a water trap to hide their precious jewels.