Biography

We had to do a research project on an explorer. My explorer was Hernando (Herman) Cortez. I found out a lot of information on him and why he was important in our history as I did my research. He explred many different places in the New World. Places like the North Americas and the South Americas. I will tell you what I found out about Hernando (Herman) Cortez and his explorations in the New World. I will also tell you about some of his accomplishments. Hernando (Herman) Cortez was born in Medellin, Spain in the year of 1485. Cortez started exploring at the age of 18. His first exploration was to the island of Hispaniola. He was a soldier and a farmer before he sailed again. Cortez was also the son of Martin Cortez. In 1511 he sailed with Diego Velasquez to Cuba. In Cuba Cortez was elected mayor judge. In 1518 Juan de Grijalva discovered Mexico, Diego Velasquez picked Cortez to establish a colony in Mexico. In the year of 1519 Cortez reached Tenochtitlan which is now Mexico City and was graciously received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. After Cortez established headquarters in the capital the Aztecs took Diego Velasquez. Velasquez surrender to the Aztecs and he executed the attackers of the Aztec empire. Diego Velasquez had sent out 1,400 soldiers to arrest Cortez and bring him back to Cuba. Cortez was able to defeat this army of 1,400 men that Diego Velasquez lead Cortez asked for help from the survivors and took them under his banner. There were 600 hundred Mexican men who died or who were slaughter in the battle. when Cortez was in the heart of the Aztec empire Cortez and his men were attacked by Aztec warriors. In 1521 the great empire of Aztecs was over. The next seven years Cortez was making peace among the Indians of Mexico, and making farmlands and mines for the Indians to work in. In 1528 Cortez was given great honor by Charles V. the governer. Cortez late on in the same year Cortez went and fought against the pirates of Algiers which is in South America. Cortez led a expedition against Yucatan. Cortez was also known as the conquer of Mexico. Cortez died near Seville on December 2, 1547. Cortez was important in our history because he ended the great empire of the Aztecs. He was also important because Cortez helped slaves spread peace among the slaves who didnt like each other and create places for them to work in like mines. Another reason he was important in are history was he led a expedition to Yucatan.

ps I worked very hard on this project.