PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS: THE BEGINNING OF A TRADE

LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. To understand the impact of Spanish exploration on the peoples of the Americas. 2. To understand how exploration led to the establishment of an international slave trade with Western Africa.

When Spanish adventurers explored Central and South America they discovered two fascinating civilisations the Incas in Puru and the fierce Aztec warriors in Mexico, unfortunately most of the Aztec civilisation was destroyed by the Spaniards in the early 1500's. Indians from North America wandered down to Mexico and arrived on the shores of Lake Texcoco around A.D. 1300 and created a vast empire inhabited by fifteen million people. Their capital city, Tenochtitlan which means 'Place of the Cactus', was built upon islands in the middle of the lake and was dominated by huge temples. The Aztecs believed in many gods and regularly sacrificed captured prisoners to them.

When Cortes landed on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico it was Good Friday in 1519, Quetzalcoatl's birthday.The Aztecs greeted the Spaniards with food, gold, and women. The Spaniards set up camp at Veracruz. Tales of 11 tall wooden towers reached Tenochtitlan from the east coast. They were Spanish ships

1. Who were the Aztecs? (2) 2 2. How do we know about how the Aztec people lived? 3. Who was Montezuma? (1) 4. Give one reason why the Spanish would want to conquer the Aztecs. (1) 5. Who was Hernan Cortez and what did the Aztecs mistakenly believe about him? (2) 6. What impact did the Spanish invasion have on the Aztec people? (2) 7. Why were the Aztecs so religious? (4)

8. How did the Aztecs worship their Gods? (4)

Look carefully at this scene. How do you think European explorers would have felt about the Aztec culture?

The people of the Americas tried to stand up against the European explorers in an attempt to stop them from taking their land.

Cuba on a 16th century map

The execution of Chief Hatuey

On the island of Cuba in 1512, Chief Hatuey led a brave rebellion by natives against the Spanish. Despite their brave efforts, they were overcome by the weapons of the Spanish. Hatuey was executed and the Spanish were free to exploit the island.

1 million people lived in Cuba before the arrival of the Europeans. 25 years later, there were only 2000 left. Many had been killed, had died of starvation, disease, suicide or death from being forced to work long hours in goldmines.

The populations of most islands in the Americas decreased dramatically and this presented a problem for the Europeans. They had been using the native people as forced labour to get to the natural resources and raw materials on these islands (gold, silver, sugar). Their solution was to import slaves from Africa. By 1540, 100,000 slaves a year were brought from Africa for this purpose.

THE TRIANGULAR TRADE