How did the Spanish defeat the Aztecs so easily?

There were many different reasons why the Spanish were able to take over the Aztec Empire. First, their weapons and armor were better than the Aztecs’. Aztec warriors had only cotton armour and shields made of wood or reeds to protect them. The Spanish had metal armor and shields.

What helped the Spanish defeat the Aztecs the most?

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.
• Alliances and Experience.
• The Power of Horses.
• Deadly Disease.

How were the Spanish able to conquer the Aztecs?

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.

How was the Aztecs defeated?

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. Cortés’s victory destroyed the Aztec empire, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain.

Why did the Aztecs lose to the Spaniards?

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.

What happened after the Spanish conquered the Aztecs?

Two following epidemics killed 75 percent of the remaining population, according to the New World Encyclopedia. Surviving Aztecs were not allowed to learn of their native culture and were forced to read and write in Spanish. Many elements of Aztec culture were lost forever.

How did the Spaniards defeat the Incas?

On November 16, 1532, Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish explorer and conquistador, springs a trap on the Incan emperor, Atahualpa. Pizarro’s men massacre the Incans and capture Atahualpa, forcing him to convert to Christianity before eventually killing him.

Why were the Aztecs defeated by the Spanish?

The Aztecs were also defeated in the war because, unlike the Spanish, who used to fight on horses, the Aztecs fought on the ground. The metal armor worn by the Spaniards also contributed to the defeat of the Aztecs, whose armor was made from stiffened cotton.

What happened when Cortes was attacked by the Aztecs?

However, soon after, Cortés learned of the death of several of his men from an Aztec attack on the Gulf Coast. The Aztec had attacked one of their rivals, and since the Spanish had allied with many of the Aztecs enemies, they were caught up in the battle.

What happened to Moctezuma during the Spanish conquest?

Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma was killed, although the sources do not agree on who murdered him. According to one account, when Moctezuma, now seen by the population as a mere puppet of the invading Spaniards, attempted to calm the outraged populace, he was killed by a projectile.

Why did the Spanish join hands with the Tlaxcaltecas?

For instance, the Spanish joined hands with the Tlaxcaltecas and the Totonacs, in order to defeat the Aztecs. These allies helped Cortes to advance in the Aztec Empire, and they even succeeded in settling there.