Hernan Cortes Research Paper

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There were many great explorers who ventured out to discover the Americas, and Hernan Cortes was one of them. Hernan Cortes was the leader of the Conquistadors, and overall, was an excellent explorer . He was born around 1485 into a lesser noble family in Medellin, Spain, as his father had been captured by the Spanish Army. There is some evidence that at the age of 14, he possibly studied at the University of Salamanca, attempting to study law2. However, his degree was unsuccessful, and he returned 2 years later3. In 1501 he entered the army, taking part in Spanish campaigns in Italy2. The next year, in 1502 he planned to sail to the West Indies on the fourth voyage of Christopher Columbus. Just before he left, he broke his leg while climbing the wall of a prestigious boarding school for girls in Madrid3. Because of his leg, he could not go on the voyage. Although his intentions weren’t always pure, Cortes was a great explorer known for overthrowing the Aztec empire, claiming Mexico for Spain, and establishing a new Spanish colony in the Americas.…show more content…
Later, he joined an expedition to Cuba in 1511 led by Diego Velazquez . In 1518, he convinced Diego Velasquez to let him lead his own expedition, so he was in command of his own trip to Mexico – the Yucatan peninsula. Previously, two other explorers had gone down there to discover an advanced Indian civilization rich in gold, called the Aztecs3.But just before Cortes set sail, Velazquez cancelled the voyage, thinking Cortes may have changed his original intentions. Cortes took his 500 men and 11 ships on the trip anyways that fall2. In February 1519, they reached the Mexican coast3. His determination shows that he was a man desperate to achieve greatness, which is probably why he was so

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