Spanish Conquistadors
Who conquered the native people of Mexico?
Goal:
Goal:
Many Spanish explored the lands of North America during the early 1500s. Spanish conquistadors, or conquerors, wanted to claim the new land for Spain.
In 1517, Francisco Hernández de Córdoba made landfall on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Mexico location map.svg NordNordWestderivative work: ויקיג'אנקי [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The Yucatan was home to the Maya people. Similar to the invasion and takeover of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés in 1521, Francisco Hernández de Córdoba's successful expedition convinced many Spanish people to move to the Yucatan area. It was finally taken over by the Spanish 100 years later.
