The four factors that led the Spanish to conquer the Aztecs were superior weaponry and technology, disease, alliances with other indigenous groups, and a divide within the Aztec empire.
For those who require additional information
The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521 was a pivotal moment in Mexican history. The four factors that led to their success were:
1) Superior weaponry and technology – The Spanish had advanced weaponry such as muskets, swords, and horses which gave them a significant advantage over the Aztecs who were equipped with more primitive weapons such as spears and stones. As Hernan Cortes stated in his letters to King Charles V, “Our artillery… was the most feared and terrible weapon known to the enemy, for there was never an Indian who failed to run at the mere sight of a cannon being fired.”
2) Disease – Smallpox and other diseases brought by the Spanish decimated the Aztec population. The Aztecs had no immunity to these diseases and it is estimated that up to 90% of the native population died due to epidemics. As stated in The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz, a soldier who accompanied Cortes, “In these great cities of Mexico there were more than twenty thousand souls who died of the smallpox.”
3) Alliances with other indigenous groups – The Spanish were able to ally themselves with other indigenous groups who were enemies of the Aztecs. These groups provided the Spanish with intelligence, supplies, and troops. The Tlaxcalans, for example, were bitter enemies of the Aztecs and fought alongside the Spanish in the siege of Tenochtitlan.
4) A divide within the Aztec empire – The Aztecs were not a unified people, but rather a collection of different city-states. The Spanish were able to exploit this divide by building alliances with dissident groups and inciting rebellions within the empire. As D.H. Lawrence wrote in his book, The Plumed Serpent, “The Spaniards conquered and enslaved the Aztecs…but they also used something which the Aztecs had never really understood…the principle of disunity.”
Interesting facts:
- The conquest was led by Hernan Cortes who landed in Mexico in 1519 with a small expeditionary force of 600 men.
- The Aztecs had a highly developed civilization with sophisticated agriculture, architecture, and engineering.
- The Spanish were aided in their conquest by a translator, a Mayan woman named La Malinche who spoke both Mayan and Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs).
- The conquest led to the destruction of much of Aztec culture including their religious beliefs and artistic traditions.
- The conquest paved the way for the establishment of Mexico as a Spanish colony which lasted until 1821 when Mexico gained its independence.
Table:
| Factors | Description |
|---|---|
| Superior weaponry and technology | Spanish had advanced weapons such as muskets, swords, and horses whereas Aztecs had primitive weapons such as spears and stones. |
| Disease | Smallpox and other diseases brought by the Spanish decimated the Aztec population. The Aztecs had no immunity to these diseases. |
| Alliances with other indigenous groups | The Spanish were able to ally themselves with other indigenous groups who were enemies of the Aztecs. |
| A divide within the Aztec empire | The Spanish were able to exploit the divide within the Aztec empire by building alliances with dissident groups and inciting rebellions within the empire. |
In conclusion, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was a complex and controversial event that had significant historical and cultural consequences. The success of the Spanish was due to a combination of military, political, and social factors that ultimately led to the downfall of one of the most powerful empires in the Americas. As stated by John Womack Jr. in his book, “it was the greatest military and political achievement in the history of Spain, and one of the most amazing stories in world history.”
This video contains the answer to your query
The video provides a brief overview of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, led by Hernán Cortés. After forming an alliance with a Totanac chief, Cortés marched to the Aztec capital and eventually conquered it with the help of neighboring states. The Aztec emperor Montezuma II was arrested and later died during a rebellion in the city. Although the Spanish lost many men during their retreat, they were able to regroup and defeat the Aztecs once again. The surviving Aztecs were cast out and forbidden from living in the ashes of their former city, and the Spanish went on to conquer neighboring states and the Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula over the course of 170 years, aided by disease.
I discovered more solutions online
The Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec and the Inca not only because they had horses, dogs, guns, and swords, but also because they brought with them germs that made many native Americans sick. Diseases like smallpox and measles were unknown among the natives; therefore, they had no immunity to them.
What Were the Most Important Factors in Explaining the Spanish Victory Over the Aztecs & Incas?
- Superior Weapons Spanish weaponry was far superior to anything used by the Aztecs or Incas. Cortés and his men used over a dozen large portable guns, mainly for their shock value against the Aztecs.
- Alliances and Experience The invading Spanish forces also took advantage of internal divisions within the Aztec and Inca empires.
- The Power of Horses
- Deadly Disease
Furthermore, people are interested
What were the four reasons for the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs? Answer will be:
- Superior Weapons. Spanish weaponry was far superior to anything used by the Aztecs or Incas.
- Alliances and Experience. The invading Spanish forces also took advantage of internal divisions within the Aztec and Inca empires.
- The Power of Horses.
- Deadly Disease.
Also to know is, What are 3 reasons that helped the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire?
The overthrow of the Aztec Empire by Cortez and his expedition rests on three factors: The fragility of that empire, the tactical advantages of Spanish technology, and smallpox.
Secondly, What were the main factors for the Spanish conquest? In reply to that: The Spanish Conquistadors had many goals, but the two primary reasons for conquering were to steal wealth for their country and to civilize the natives with religion—in particular, Catholicism.
Accordingly, What events led to the conquest of the Aztecs? Here are some of the important events of the conquest.
- of 10. February 1519: Cortes Outsmarts Velazquez.
- of 10. March 1519: Malinche Joins the Expedition.
- of 10. August-September 1519: The Tlaxcalan Alliance.
- of 10. October 1519: The Cholula Massacre.
- of 10. November 1519: The Arrest of Montezuma.
- of 10.
- of 10.
- of 10.
Keeping this in consideration, Why did Cortes want to conquer the Aztecs? As an answer to this: Cortes wanted to conquer the aztecs for gold glory and god. Because of these things, many people in the Aztec Empire were unhappy. Some of them helped the Spanish conquistadors take over the Empire. Some historians, like Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani, say that the Empire would have fallen apart even if the Spanish had never come.
In this regard, What happened during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire? In reply to that: The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, also known as the Conquest of Mexico or the Spanish-Aztec War (1519–21), was one of the primary events in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. There are multiple 16th-century narratives of the events by Spanish conquistadors, their indigenous allies, and the defeated Aztecs.
Similarly one may ask, Why did the Spanish conquer Tenochtitlán? Spanish conquistadores commanded by Hernán Cortés allied with local tribes to conquer the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlán. Cortés’s army besieged Tenochtitlán for 93 days and a combination of superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox outbreak enabled the Spanish to conquer the city. Why did the Aztec leaders want the Spanish to leave?
Herein, How did the Aztec Empire differ from the Spanish conquistadors?
Response to this: The Aztec Empire was a analagous to a feudal model that the Spanish Conquistadors could recognize, but with refinements that severely weakened it. The Aztecs combined politics and religion, and expected subordinate states to submit to repeated humiliation, particularly in handing over captives for sacrifice in Aztec ceremonies.
In this manner, Why did Cortes want to conquer the Aztecs?
The reply will be: Cortes wanted to conquer the aztecs for gold glory and god. Because of these things, many people in the Aztec Empire were unhappy. Some of them helped the Spanish conquistadors take over the Empire. Some historians, like Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani, say that the Empire would have fallen apart even if the Spanish had never come.
Regarding this, How did Spanish arrival affect the Aztec Empire?
Response: The Spanish arrival coincided with the height of the Aztec Empire. Militaristic migrants from northern Mexico, the Aztec had moved south into the Valley of Mexico, conquered their way to dominance, and built the largest empire in the New World.
What factors influenced the Spanish conquest of Mexico?
Answer will be: quest in terms of tactics, applying a military-historical perspective to ethnohistorical texts and data gleaned from modern works. It is shown that Spanish infantry tactics and horse cavalry were critical factors in the Spanish victory. [Aztecs, ethnohistory, Mexico, Spanish Conquest, war]
In respect to this, How did the Aztecs become so powerful?
Answer: the Aztec people became so powerful because they focused on warfare, and the advancement of military weapons to conquer neighboring civilizations. How were the Aztecs be able to create an empire? So far as we can tell (given the lack of written records) the Aztecs were able to create their empire because of their ruthlessness and their ingenuity.