what did the mayas, encountered by the cortes on the yucatan peninsula, contribute to the conquistador's expedition?
a. gold and riches
b. advanced knowledge in astronomy
c. military support
d. information and a guide, mallinche
d. information and a guide, Malinche
The Mayas, encountered by Cortes on the Yucatan Peninsula, contributed to the conquistador's expedition in several ways. One of the major contributions was providing information and a guide. A Mayan woman named Malinche, also known as La Malinche or Doña Marina, served as a translator for Cortes, helping him communicate with the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. She played a crucial role in establishing alliances and negotiations with various indigenous groups, which proved instrumental in Cortes's conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Therefore, the correct answer is d. information and a guide, Malinche.
The correct answer is a. gold and riches.
To arrive at this answer, we need to examine what the Mayas actually contributed to the conquistador's expedition led by Cortes.
The Mayas were a complex and advanced civilization known for their sophisticated architecture, mathematics, and knowledge in astronomy. However, when Hernan Cortes arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula in the early 16th century, he encountered the Mayas who had already been weakened by internal conflicts and diseases introduced by the Europeans.
Though the Mayas possessed advanced knowledge in various fields, they did not contribute significant military support or offer information and a guide (Mallinche) to Cortes. Instead, the main contribution of the Mayas to the conquistador's expedition was gold and riches.
The Mayas had accumulated vast amounts of wealth through trade networks and tribute systems. When Cortes and his men conquered Maya cities and rulers, they captured these treasures, including gold, silver, precious stones, and other valuable resources. The plundered wealth greatly enriched the Spanish conquistadors and further fueled their ambitions to seek more riches in the New World.
Therefore, the Mayas, encountered by Cortes on the Yucatan Peninsula, primarily contributed to the conquistador's expedition by providing gold and riches (option a).