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How was Hernán Cortés able to claim Mexico for the Spaniards?

Spanish conquistador (conqueror) Hernán Cortés (1485–1547) claimed Mexico for Spain by conquering the native peoples. In 1519 Cortés landed on the eastern coast of Mexico, where he founded the city of Veracruz before heading inland. Cortés made an alliance with the Tlaxcalans, who, because they had lost wars against the powerful Aztec tribe of central Mexico, were willing to help the Spaniards. When Aztec emperor Montezuma II (1466–1520) learned of the visitors, he believed them to be descendants of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, whose arrival had been foretold in myths. Cortés made the most of this erroneous assumption when he and his army arrived at the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) in 1519. Cortés wanted to rule the Aztecs through Montezuma, so he took the emperor hostage. Cortés continued his voyage to the...

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1. The Americas
   1. When and how did the first people migrate to the Western Hemisphere?
   2. Were the Vikings the first Europeans to reach North America?
   3. Were the Spaniards the first Europeans to reach North America after the Vikings?
   4. When was the first authenticated European landing in North America?
   5. Why did Spain authorize Columbus to search for a westward route to the Indies?
   6. Where did Columbus first land in the New World?
   7. Did Columbus make any important discoveries in the Americas?
   8. Why does controversy surround Christopher Columbus?
   9. Who were the conquistadors?
   10. What contributions did the Europeans make to the Americas?
   11. How did America get its name?
   12. How was Hernán Cortés able to claim Mexico for the Spaniards?
   13. Who was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca?
   14. Who was Montezuma?
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