Cortés accepted the small tokens but boldly told the Aztec ruler that he and his men had a disease of the heart that only gold could cure. In the 1530s, Francisco Pizarro led a group of Spanish soldiers through Panama and into Peru where they battled the Incas. Corn, sun, and water became focal points for many societies and played strong roles in religious ceremonies. While circles, squares, and octagons were the most common mound shapes, some patterns resembled creatures such as hawks, panthers, or snakes. Through Malinche’s conversations with many people ruled by the Aztecs, Cortés learned that the capital, Tenochtitlan, was overflowing with gold and silver and other riches. However, even as North American civilizations grew in population, sophistication, and power, they did not compare to the complex societies of the Aztecs and Incas in Central and South America. The largest known mound had a base that covered nearly fifteen acres and rose to a height of one hundred feet. They also built massive mounds that served as burial and ceremonial sites. Europeans were captivated by his descriptions of incredible wealth and golden pagodas.As Cortés approached Tenochtitlan, emperor Montezuma II sent diplomats to meet the Spaniards with gifts. However, unlike the strong-handed rule of the Central American culture, the Incas allowed local groups to govern regions independently. Colonization efforts began in the 16th century with failed attempts by England to establish permanent colonies in North America. Many believe that the different shapes were religious signs or territorial markers for different tribes.The invention of the printing press around this time made information sharing much easier. Although Cortés and his small army were greatly outnumbered, they could do most anything they desired because they ruled the empire through Montezuma. The Inca empire covered nearly 2,500 miles and included regions of present-day Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina. The great temples in Tenochtitlan were destroyed and Christian churches were constructed in their places.In Europe, territorial battles between Christians and Muslims dominated much of the period between the 11th and 14th centuries. He remained convinced that he had discovered a new westward route to the Indies.The Aztecs settled on the site of present-day Mexico City in the early 14th century. The British colonization of the Americas is the history of the establishment of control, settlement, and decolonization of the continents of the Americas by the England, Scotland and (after 1707) Great Britain. Guns, swords, knives, and even horses amazed and frightened the Aztecs.The development of agriculture by Native Americans more than five thousand years ago sparked new cultures and innovations. Although, like other native peoples throughout the Americas, they did not have their own written language or the use of the wheel, the Incas were extremely intelligent engineers.
However, Muslim forces controlled key passageways to the east and forced European tradesmen to pay huge sums for their ways. By the time of the European “discovery” of the New World, there were perhaps as many as 100 million native Americans, the vast majority living in Central and South America.In South America, where the climate varies from cold mountain peaks to steamy rain forests, the Incas ruled much of the western coast. Each tribe gave its allegiance to the ruler, the Sapa Inca, whom they believed was the descendent of the sun-god.
By the middle of the 15th century, Europeans had grown accustomed to a variety of exotic Asian goods including silk, drugs, perfume, and spices. Like that of the Aztec empire, the Inca empire was essentially a coalition of tribes.