Fall of the Aztec Empire

Home , Aztecs, Aztec Empire, Fall of Tenochtitlan, Tenochtitlan, Tlaxcala (Nahua state)

Guided Reading: Creative Learners

Aztec Jaguar Warrior

The Aztecs were a race of American Indians. They lived in what is now Mexico and some of the American Southwest. They called themselves the Mexica. They were later conquered by the Spanish in the early 1500s. This led to the fall of the Aztec Empire.

In 1521, the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire. The Spanish were led by Hernán Cortés. They first took over the capital city of Tenochtitlan. During this time, many of the people died of hunger and smallpox. The Spanish were helped by enemies of the Aztecs. They were from the city-state of Tlaxcala. The Aztecs were hated by many city-states. So, it was easy for Cortés to find help. The conquering took almost 60 years to complete. Deadly diseases also helped wipe out the Aztecs, too.

After the fall of Tenochtitlan, many of the area’s culture stayed intact. There was not an instant impact on the cultures. Many people even felt that the fall of the empire was more positive than negative. Being allies of the Spanish, the Tlaxcalans gained the most.

Cortés did state that he intended to preserve the structure of the empire. It looked like the empire would survive under the Spanish. The upper classes of the Aztecs were made noblemen. The uppers classes learned to speak Spanish. They learned to write in Roman characters. The mood, however, would soon change. The Aztecs were no longer allowed to practice their culture. They could not learn to read or write in Spanish. Under Spanish law, they were reduced to second-class citizens.

Deadly disease again spread rapidly through the Aztec people. The outbreak of smallpox in 1520 and 1545 and the typhus outbreak in 1576 nearly killed the entire population. Towns vanished. Lands were left empty. Roads were shut down. Armies were destroyed. The Aztec nobleman lost the little power they had from the Spanish. The Spanish grouped the survivors together and hoped disease would kill the surviving Aztecs. For labor, the Spanish brought in black slaves. By this time, the area was fully run by the Spanish.

Glossary: 1. Tenochtitlan — Capital of the Aztec empire. 2. Tlaxcala — Group of people who lived near the Aztecs, but were not their allies. 3. Typhus — A disease that is spread by lice and fleas that caused many deaths among American Indians.

Name: ______Date: ______

Fall of the Aztec Empire

Discussion Questions:

1. Who led the Spanish in conquering the Aztec Empire?

2. What was the name of the capital city that the Spanish conquered first?

3. What city-state became allies with the Spanish?

4. What diseases nearly wiped out the Aztec population?