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Hernan Cortes was born in Medellín Spain.
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Hernan decided to sail to the New World and make a life for himself there. He sailed to what is now Haiti.
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Cortes worked with the governor of Hispaniola, who took Cortes on a conquest of Cuba. Cortes was rewarded with land and slaves.
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Diego Valasquez named Cortes the captain of an expedition to Mexico. After a fight, though, he fired Cortes' status. Cortes went against Valasquez's wishes and sailed on to Mexico against orders.
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Cortes sailed into Veracruz and took it by force. He tried to meet with Montezuma, the Aztec king, but Montezuma refused.
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The Aztec people tried to give Cortes gold and other treasures. But he took Montezuma hostage ruling Tenochtitlan through Montezuma.
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When Montezuma couldn't get the Aztecs to accept Cortes as their leader, Cortes had Montezuma killed.
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With Montezuma dead, Cortes took over the Aztec's capital city. It was the end of the Aztec Empire.
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He discovers the peninsula of California but then returned to Spain.
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While living in Spain Cortes passes away.
