In 1519, Capitan Hernando Cortes and a small army left the Spanish held island of Cuba and set out on one of the greatest conquests in the history of the world. Cortes was going to accomplish his goals no matter the consequences. He put to death some of those who opposed him, got himself appointed Capitan-General in order to get out from under Diego Velazquez’s authority, and even destroyed his fleet in an attempt to …showed first 75 words of 950 total…

…showed last 75 words of 950 total…Cortes destroyed his fleet; the sheer fact that he was willing to die in this endeavor showed his resolve. He showed his men that they were with him to the end whether they liked it or not. Cortes and his small army brought down a great and powerful civilization; and it could be said that with an escape route that the Spaniards might have given up their conquest in the face of trial and tribulation.