How did Cortes respond to Moctezuma's welcome?

A. Cortes gave him gifts.

B. Cortes took him prisoner.

C. Cortes exiled him.

D. Cortes forced him to fight in his army.

The correct answer to the question: How did Cortés respond to Moctezuma's welcome, would be, B: Cortés took him prisoner.

Explanation:

The Spanish did not attempt to enter the continental landmass of the Americas until after Vasco Nuñez de Balboa's expedition to reach the Pacific in 1513 made the enormous riches of the continent evident. However, with the 1513 expedition's findings, the Spanish began their quest for continental control. In 1519, Spanish Conquistador, Hernando Cortés, was sent on a mission towards Cuba, but because Cortés wanted to conquer more lands, he disobeyed the governor and ended up on the coasts of Mexico. He soon came in contact with the vast empire of the Aztecs, headed by Moctezuma and with a lot of ingenuity, especially given the fact that he had few military support when compared to the numbers the Aztecs had, managed to divide the city states that formed part of the huge empire, from their center of rule. Seeing the power of the Spanish, Moctezuma responded by sending gifts to Cortés and allowing him free passage to Tenochtitlán. Cortés's response was to manage to enslave the powerful Moctezuma and transform the vast Aztec empire into one more of those conquered by Spain. This is why the answer is B.