Retracing the route of Cortes : how the conquest has shaped Mexico's past and present : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

When Hernan Cortes arrived to the American mainland in 1519, he was looking for gold and power in the New World. After hearing about a large indigenous city, he set off for the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, setting into motion one of the most significant events in the history of the Americas.By August of 1521, Cortes and his men had successfully conquered the Aztecs. This great power shift affected the Americas profoundly, but in what ways? The establishment of New Spain, and later Mexico, as well the fusion of two peoples and cultures, created a new race of man and had numerous other outcomes. How did the conquest affect Mexico's past and present?In order to investigate this topic, I studied the historical events, retraced the route of Cortes, and drew from my past experiences living and traveling in Mexico. I also tried to integrate my interests—such as international business, economics, Spanish, and Latin American culture—to approach these questions in a multidisciplinary manner.Through my studies, travels, and experiences, I learned that Mexico is a culturally-rich place, with a history that seems as though it were a script for an action movie or soap opera. Never boring, Mexico owes many of the aspects of its intrigue to the conquest, and more specifically, to Hernan Cortes's successful invasion of Tenochtitlan.