Quiz on Hernán Cortés and the Spanish Conquest

Who was Hernán Cortés?

• A Portuguese explorer who discovered Brazil

• A French nobleman who led the Crusades

• A Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire

• An Italian merchant who traveled to China

What was the capital of the Aztec Empire?

• Machu Picchu

• Cuzco

• Chichen Itza

• Tenochtitlán

Who was the Aztec emperor when Cortés arrived?

• Pachacuti

• Atahualpa

• Moctezuma I

• Montezuma II

What epidemic did the Spanish start in Tenochtitlán?

• Smallpox

• Influenza

• Measles

• Bubonic plague

What did Cortés do after the fall of Tenochtitlán?

• Sailed to the Philippines

• Became a priest

• Returned to Spain

• Built Mexico City on its ruins

What was one of Cortés' main goals during his conquest?

• To explore the Amazon River

• To convert Native inhabitants to Catholicism

• To find a new route to India

• To establish trade routes with Asia

How did Cortés initially interact with Montezuma?

• He attacked Montezuma immediately

• He ignored Montezuma

• He formed an alliance with Montezuma

• He was kindly received by Montezuma

What role did Cortés play in the social system of New Spain?

• He was appointed governor of New Spain

• He was a merchant

• He was a religious leader

• He became a local chieftain

What was the population of Tenochtitlán at its peak?

• About 400,000 people

• About 100,000 people

• About 50,000 people

• About 1,000,000 people

How is Hernán Cortés remembered in history?

• As a peaceful explorer

• As a defender of indigenous rights

• As a mythical hero

• As a controversial figure who enslaved many natives