The only area in southern Mexico of effective indigenous resistance was Yucatán, inhabited by Maya societies. Mexico - Mexico - Expansion of Spanish rule: After taking possession of the Aztec empire, the Spaniards quickly subjugated most of the other indigenous tribes in southern Mexico, and by 1525 Spanish rule had been extended as far south as Guatemala and Honduras. 1521: Hernán Cortés completes the conquest of Mexico. Therefore, he called the natives "Indian". The Spanish Conquest The Aztec empire reached its height in the early 16th century, under Emperor Moctezuma . Cortes was also responsible for claiming Mexico for the Spanish Empire. Hernando Cortes Timeline Timeline Description: Herdando (Hernan) Cortes was a Spanish conquistador that was largely responsible for the fall of the Aztec Empire and the subsequent colonization of the Americas by the Spaniards. The Spanish Conquest The Aztec empire reached its height in the early 16th century, under Emperor Moctezuma. The first major civilization of Mesoamerica, the Olmecs, populated southern Veracruz state and parts of Tabasco on Mexico's Gulf coast. Mexico was the home to many great civilizations including the Olmec, the Maya, the Zapotec, and the Aztec. Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean islands. 1519 - Small Spanish army led by Hernan Cortes lands at Veracruz, marking the start of Spain's conquest of Mexico. With Mexico's president still insisting on Spain's apology and calling for "reconciliation" with the Spanish over the conquest, it will continue to be present in modern-day Mexico… That was also the time that Spanish adventurers were swarming by the hundreds to the West Indies, following the discovery of the Americas in 1492 by Christopher Columbus. The President took a different view. The Olmec civilization lasted from 1400 to 400 BC followed by the rise of the Maya culture. Cortes worked with the governor of Hispaniola, who took Cortes on a conquest of Cuba. For over 3000 years before the Europeans arrived these civilizations flourished. Columbus' discovery led European countries to colonize and conquest the America for several centuries. 1511: Hernan is promoted in Cuba Diego Valasquez became the governor of Cuba. Conquest of Mexico-Tenochtitlan Timeline created by Barrón Lerma Angel Nahum on Nov. 17, 2020 Cortes was rewarded with land and slaves. He thought he had reached the East Indies in Asia. He recommended a vigorous prosecution of the war—not for conquest: that was disavowed—but for the purpose of conquering peace; that is, to compel Mexico to sign a treaty making a sufficient cession of territory to indemnify this Government both for the claims of its citizens and for the expenses of the war. He made Cortes one of his top officials. Therefore an enormous impact in the historical development of the modern Western world occurred. 1524: Pedro de Alvarado conquers present-day Guatemala and El Salvador . 1521: Juan Ponce de León tries and fails to settle in Florida.