Hernando Cortes Essay, Research Paper

I. Background

A. nationality-Spanish

B. country he represented-Spain

II. Goals of Hernando Cortes-power and riches and to seek a life of adventure.

III. Main events during voyage-Year 1511, he was named mayor of Santiago de Cuba, was ordered by Valesquez to to conquer Mexico,Cortes ignored these new orders and moved on Mexico. he set sail from Santiago to defeat the Aztecs on Feb 1519 with a fleet of 11 vessels, 400 soldiers,16 horses. He formed alliances with the non Aztec people of the empire. He marched to the Azte capital Tenoch where he had Aztec temples and idols destroyed and replaced them with images of the Virgin Mary and the saints.