Conquest in the Americas: Spanish Conquistadors (Columbus, Cortés, & Pizarro)

This lesson focuses on how a small number of Spanish conquistadors conquered huge Native American empires.

Students are asked to complete an activity worksheet with reading and response questions (ex. addressing the global significance and effects of Christopher Columbus' first encounter with Native Americans and the wave of Spanish conquistadors who arrived in the Americas soon after), all of which can be answered with the help of both the included review notes and supplemental reading resource that further explores the roles of the two infamous Spanish conquistadors: Hernán Cortés in Mexico with the Aztecs and Francisco Pizarro in Peru with the Incas.

*The review notes also can be used as a study guide to help students prepare for a test/quiz.