At the end of the 12th century, the Aztecs migrated to these lands, and thus began the new era for Mexico. These people settled the Valley of Mexico and built their capital in the city they called Tenochtitlan. This city was located near current day Mexico City, and was built in the middle of a lake with three stone pathways connecting it to the land. The Aztecs were people who believed in human sacrifices to please their Sun God. In 1502, Montezuma became the emperor of this great nation. He led his people by fear, and they believed he was a deity.
Hernan Cortes was a very dedicated and determined individual. He was ruthless and willing to exploit his power and authority wherever necessary. He came from a poor Spanish family and was considered a lesser noble. He refused to settle for this and used his knowledge to become a conqueror of lands in the Americas. At only the age of 25 he joined the conquest for Cuba. He was later sent by the Spanish king to conquer Mexico. The king desired gold, riches, and land, while Cortes was on a mission for fame and riches.
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The Aztecs fought with obsidian weapons. While it may seem like the Aztecs were hopelessly doomed, they had the advantage of numbers. Cortes had only brought 600 soldiers with him originally, and the Aztecs could call upon their people within the empire at any time. Montezuma and his people seemed to have fate conspiring against him however, as a prophecy indicated that this was the year that their God would return on a ship in the east. Because of this, the Aztecs were hesitant to attack the Spanish at