8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

1/9

Pizarro vs. Atahualpa

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

2/9

In 1513, a group of Spaniards reached

the west coast of the Isthmus of Panama

under the direction of their leader Vasco

Nuez de Balboa. There a native chief

told Balboa that far to the south lay a

golden land. As Balboa prepared to

find that land, some of his men killedhim. Eventually, Francisco Pizarro, one

of the men who had turned against

Balboa, was in charge.

Pizarros first two expeditions to find the

golden land failed. He did not succeeduntil his third expedition. Landing at

Tumbes on the coast of Ecuador in

1532, he and a group of 167 men and

62 horses marched southward into Peru

and into the Inca stronghold of

Cajamarca, high in the Andes

mountains.

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

3/9

Pizarro convinced

Atahualpa, the Inca ruler,

to meet him at Cajamarca.

Atahualpa, thinking the

Spaniards posed littlethreat, led his army into the

deserted Cajamarca. It

was a trap.

The Spaniards hid behind the buildings at Cajamarca. Whenthe Incas entered the city, the Spaniards sprung from their

hiding places yelling Santiago! The Spanish war cry echoed

off the royal buildings of Cajamarca for over two hours of

bloody fighting. When the battle was finished, the victorious

Spaniards held the key to the power of the vast Inca empire.

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

4/9

Atahualpa was their captive. Pizarro threatened to executeAtahualpa if his subjects did not fill a room with gold.Within eight months, a 22 by 18 foot room 9 feet high was

filled with gold. They got twice as much silver. Thetreasure was three times greater than the Aztec treasureCorts captured in 1521.

The Spaniards did not keeptheir word to the Inca. Once

they had the treasure,

Pizarro ordered his men to

kill Atahualpa.

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

5/9

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

6/9

When the fierce battleswere over and the Incarulers had beencaptured, the Spaniardsfound that the Incapeople quickly obeyedtheir rule. The Inca wereused to the completecontrol of the Incaempire, so they servedtheir new Spanishmasters withoutquestion.

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

7/9

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

8/9

Which factors were more important and which were less

important in explaining why the Inca were conquered by the

Spanish?

In your groups, discuss this question. Place the cards in theappropriate location along the spectrum to show your

answer.

A. Weapons

B. Body Armor

C. Belief Systems

D. Civil War

E. Horses

F. Overconfidence

G. Desire for Wealth

H. Support from Inca

Rivals

8/10/2019 Inquiry Conquest

9/9

Less Important More Important