Spanish Colonization and Destruction of the Aztecs

Essay #1: Spanish Colonization and Destruction of the Aztecs The Spanish influence in the Americas negatively impacted the Aztec empire and other natives of the Americas until Spanish conquistadors ultimately conquered the native people. No other outside force could possibly have been as destructive to the Aztec empire as the Spanish settlement and colonization in the sixteenth century. Regardless of primary intentions, Hernan Cortes and his men slowly brought down Moctezuma and his army of less advanced warriors. In the early days of Spanish exploration, their goal was not to wage war with the lands native nations. The Spanish were strangers to the new world and, therefore, avoided war at all costs. Though they were technologically advanced and brought new weapons to the Americas, they were outnumbered and trapped in foreign lands. Once settled, however, it became clear that coexistence could not last forever. Moctezuma made a grandiose mistake by trusting the European colonists, who made their violent intentions known by plotting to assassinate the top warriors in the Aztec kingdom. This historic turning point took place during the sacred Fiesta of Toxcatl, which was meant to honor a major Aztec god. The Toxcatl Massacre, as described in two gruesomely descriptive accounts by native authors and informants, tells that “the blood of the warriors flowed like water and gathered into pools” (LP18). This massacre sparked an even bloodier conflict in which Moctezuma was taken prisoner. Moctezuma told his messenger to tell his citizens that “We must not fight them. We are not their equals in battle” (LP18). Moctezuma was soon dead; Spain decapitated the Aztec empire that was once so powerful, suddenly eroding in a state of international war.
In fact, the Spanish were never motivated to provide friendly assistance to the Aztecs. They never desired to help them, rather, they desired to build their new Spanish empire on top of Tenochtitlan. A major goal of