On November 8, 1519, Hernan Cortes entered the magnificent Aztec city of Tenochtitlan in present-day Mexico. The stone city had intricately structured canals, bridges, and floating gardens. However, Cortes had not come to the city to admire its beauty. He and his soldiers arrived to conquer it and plunder its gold. In order to achieve his goal, Cortes went to battle with Montezuma, the great Aztec ruler. When the bloody fighting ended, Cortes began building a new Spanish colony that would change the course of history in Mexico.